General News
30 August, 2022
Busy year for Progressing Cobden
PROGRESSING Cobden has had a busy year.
PROGRESSING Cobden has had abusy year.
At the 2021 AGM, members decided to go with the leadership group model again – Ron Greagen, Andrew Stubbings, Helen Smith, Barb Cowley, Juli Dwyer, Chelsea Hatherall, Heather Walsh, Milton Parlour, Frank Martin (treasurer), Kelvin White (public officer) with power to add.
PC membership is $30 and CBN subscription is $100 (which includes PC).
Through Andrea Stoddart, Cobden Technical School commits to continuing strong links with the community – CWA, Cobden Cemetery, Cobden Primary School and the Anzac Day flag commemoration.
Progressing Cobden presented student prizes at Hampden Specialist School (Izayah Dixon), Cobden Primary School (Olivia Benson) and Cobden Technical School (Brodie Foster).
After much deliberation, the Cobden Spring Festival was shelved in favour of running several one day mini-festivals aimed at involving more organisations such as the Mega Op Shop Sale and Cow Hunt in November, and Super Saturday in March – with moreto come.
Town security – the ideas of video cameras strategically placed in Cobden is investigated with an audit being carried out.
Volunteers’ Dinner – fingers-crossed that we will celebrate our volunteers in the 2022-23 year.
Cobden Business Network’s new business and development consultant Laura Hultgren hit the ground running after district businesses, organisations and community members provided the necessary financial backing.
The planned 12 month program becomes 18 months as Laura and Frank Martin continue with project-based grant submissions.
Awards and presentations – Hewitt and Whitty took out the CBN’s August 2021 Business of the Month, Thompson’s Hotel won the October award and Ride With Us the December award.
Local businesses do more well-received presentations about what happens behind their doors including Cobden Sewing Machines, Tools and Trailers, Purrumbete Paddock Eggs, Lee Edge, BJ Savage, (Fitness Centre) Kathryn and Andrew Stubbings (Heytesbury House B&B)
The all-day Christmas Shopping Extravaganza took place on November 26, the Martins’ Hardware Window Reveal on November 28 and Christmas With A Difference on December 12.
Unfortunately, Cobden lost two businesses that were not only important to the economy but to the community fabric.
Martins’ Hardware and the Cobden Newsagency were meeting places for Cobden people over the years and are being missed.
Progressing Cobden understands and sympathises with the families concerned and thanks them for their service over many years and wish them well in their future.
Community podcasts proved difficult to sustain after a promising start. There is still enthusiasm for “Cobden – Now We’re Talking” but perhaps in a shorter format?
Phoenix Project – despite COVID, the program soldiered on and is attracting solid numbers for life drawing, Paint and Sip (more than 100 people attending this year alone)and films.
The Phoenix Project is working towards becoming independent of Progressing Cobden, but has a lot of work to do moving forward to make it viable.
A grant with RDV is currently being explored to help with this process (including a professional feasibility study).
Old flagpoles opposite the roadhousewere replaced.
The idea for more directional signage, particularly near Cobden’s entrances, was raised but restrictions imposed by VicRoads quashed enthusiasm.
A bid to place an advertising sign next to the roundabout at Errey’s Engineering workshop by an outside business may stir some local progress on this issue – perhaps signage placed in paddocks some kilometres out of Cobden.
A small working party of PC and Community Bank members discusses the likelihood of an art trail in Cobden involving murals initiated by the bank doing one on its western wall celebrating 25 years in town.
Cobden Community Asset Committee Aerodrome – Jo Beard and Eunie Dawe report that the shire’s masterplan is complete, patient transfer pad for HEMS4 helicopter opens on Saturday, July 9, the construction of a proper taxi-way from the runway to the transfer pad is carried out, attention now on establishing a terminal and the loading pad is to be upgraded following budget commitment to better support the agricultural industry with aerial contractors.
A PC digital media group is established with the aim of coordinating progress on PC and CBN’s websites and social media platforms.
Lake Cobden – two successful and very well-attended blitzes were held in November and another one in March to clean up the surrounds – mainly weeding and mulching.
Re-Connecting Cobden – The idea for a community expo arises out of discussion about getting more people involved in town activity – focusing on the people we already have in and around our town.
Free camp on Golf Club land – With the disappointment of the proposed free camp area at the Roadhouse being covered with contaminated soil, Frank Martin is negotiating with the golf club to open up an area to the north of the 14th fairway, off Bond Street.
The Golf Club is seeking a grant to furtherthis project.
Cobden V.I.C. 3266 – the Information Centre – has moved into 17A Curdie St, next to the BEDC office, in an effort to establish an identity other than craft which became the focus at the Roadhouse.
It is hoped more local volunteers get involved and that visitors will find their way into the central part of town to get information they require.
Cobden Pioneer Park – Heather Walsh reports that, at long last, the grant is spent on new signage around the park and a new post and rail fence and gates across the front.
The Fonterra Western Star Butter container is eventually delivered.
Cobden Story – work on what has become a major project continues in the background.
It is certainly taking a village to produce the storyboards which, hopefully, before the end of 2022 will be placed strategically on stands and buildings along our walks and on our buildings.
Moving forward – Progressing Cobden enters the new (financial) year with plenty on its plate.