Council
29 May, 2026
Busy year for the mounts
CORANGAMITE Shire councillors looked back on a busy year for the Mount Leura and Mount Sugarloaf Committee of Management at this week’s Ordinary Meeting of Council, celebrating over 1000 hours of volunteer work.
Councillors received the annual update for the 2025-2026 year at this week’s meeting, with the management plan and risk management plans also adopted.
Environment projects officer Jessica Maxwell said the committee had achieved a number of goals listed in the previous management plan.
This included acquitting a $10,000 grant received from the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, controlling weeds over 50 hectares, completing the third part of the Hollows for Habitat project, planting 1270 indigenous plants and designing and installing a historical sign on the Mount Sugarloaf quarry.
“The Mt Leura and Mt Sugarloaf Management Committee currently manage the reserves in accordance with the Mount Leura and Mount Sugarloaf Management Plan 2013–2018,” Ms Maxwell said.
“The committee, with support from council officers, has undertaken a review and update of this plan to develop the revised Mount Leura and Mount Sugarloaf Management Plan 2026–2036.
“The review included a comprehensive assessment of all works and actions achieved to date.
“Many of the issues and aspirations listed in the current management plan have been achieved and are no longer relevant.
“The existing plan was developed following extensive consultation with the community and stakeholders, including schools, community groups, user groups, neighbouring landholders and government agencies.”
The committee works in partnership with the Friends of Mount Leura (FoML) community group, hosting a variety of events at the reserve to encourage use of the facilities.
These events include NAIDOC Week activities, the annual Come and Explore Day, the ninth annual Four Peaks Challenge, plant propagation workshops, monthly working bees and a successful history talk on the Indigenous peoples of the district.
Deputy mayor councillor Laurie Hickey said he was thrilled to see current committee members Frances Grundy and Caroline Duynhoven reappointed as community representatives on the committee for the next three years.
“It’s fabulous to see that Ms Grundy and Ms Duynhoven are reappointed again as I know they are very active members of the committee,” he said.
“It would be remiss of me to not mention the other committee members who contributed over 1000 volunteer hours over the year, which is incredible to have that sort of commitment to an asset like this.
“I commend them for providing that service.
“Mount Sugarloaf and Mount Leura are very obvious on our landscape and very much-loved assets managed by the committee of management, who do a wonderful job maintaining the plantings on the side of the mounts and also the risk management plan that goes towards the assets.
“It’s great that we’ve got these assets within our wards.”
Ms Maxwell said the revised plans will provide a focus for the next 10 years at the reserves.
“The revised management plan includes updated guidance for revegetation informed by a 2022 report that investigated tree stem density and vegetation establishment across the reserves,” she said.
“This report assisted the committee to identify future priorities for revegetation, including understorey planting of native shrubs and grasses to support ecological resilience.
“The risk management plan for the reserves was reviewed and updated to ensure that it is consistent with the revised management plan and to address current risks and opportunities that have developed over time.
“For example, increased use of drones on the reserves has required the installation of ‘no drones’ signage at the top car park.
“There are also new opportunities for ecological burning or cultural burning as a risk reduction and vegetation management tool.”
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