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STRATFORD
Gippsland, Victoria 3862, Australia
Our Town…
Our Plan…
Stratford Community Plan
March 2015
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A background to the 2015 Stratford Community Plan
Who sets the Plan? - Stratforward Inc. was formed in 2013 as a new and independent
group representing residents and businesses for the betterment of Stratford and
surrounds. The Stratford community acknowledges the work of the previous Community
Representative Group and their achievements through the previous Community Plan.
The Stratforward committee determined early in 2014 that it was important and timely
to develop a new Community Plan. The approach was to conduct a whole of Stratford
and surrounds survey by delivery of a comprehensive document to all Stratford
households, with additional surveys available at several town venues for out of town
residents. The survey was strongly promoted through the Stratford Town Crier
community newspaper. The survey was very well supported and it was gratifying to
receive responses in respect of what residents value about Stratford, as well as
excellent ideas for what would make Stratford an even better place to live.
What is the purpose? -The purpose of the Community Plan was to gather together in one
place the feelings and opinions of our community members, for current and prospective
residents and businesses and other interested parties. It also supports groups and
individuals who wish to take action in the community to pursue and initiate changes,
additions and improvements. It does this by identifying need and priority within the
community giving support to items that our residents feel are worthy of action.
Overview -Our Community Plan
Items important in our community
Parks Trails & Knob reserve
Youth infrastructure
Social support
Main street
Town servicesrubbish solar etc
Festivals, events & markets
Sporting facilities
Footpaths and Paths
Transport
Commercial Area
Business support & employment
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Total surveys completed and returned were 152 households with 852 responses to
what you felt was important to Stratford as a community
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Highlighted themes from our community’s feedback…
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Knob Reserve – Completion of Avon track to the Knob and increase the use of the
reserve
Main street – Improve all accessibility access and make the town more attractive
Footpaths and pathways – planning required for linking our footpaths and
pathways. Maintenance is an issue
Market revitalisation required
The Stratford Town Crier is seen as an important community asset
Supply of natural gas was highlighted as a goal along with green waste collection
Support for community house style programs/classes within Segue
Geography/History – Prior to white settlement, Stratford, the river and the surrounding
plains were part of the lands of the Braiakaulung people. A strong and proud tribe of
Aboriginal people. The Knob area, which is highlighted strongly within this Community
Plan as a very special asset has always been an important meeting place for the
Braiakaulung people.
In the 1840s Angus McMillan entered Gippsland closely followed by the squatters. Very
soon the Braiakaulung people, like many other Aboriginal peoples across the country,
were violently dispossessed.
William O’Dell Raymond took up the Stratford pastoral run in the early 1840s and
opened the Shakespeare Hotel and other businesses followed. By the 1860s Stratford
was an established farming district. Gold was discovered in the Great Dividing Range
and steamers travelled up the river to Red bank just south of the town. Churches and
schools were built, followed by a post office, courthouse and shire offices. The Gippsland
rail line linked Stratford to the formerly far off city of Melbourne.
Stratford is located on the Avon River. In the early days of settlement it was a narrow
stream with wide flood plains, though in the 1870s extensive flooding left the river very
much wider and deeper in places. Intriguingly, there are several versions of how
Stratford and our Avon River came to be named. One version of Stratford has it that
there were two fords over the river in the early days, one was the “Straight Ford” where
the Princes Highway now crosses the river. Some say the river was named by the
explorer Angus McMillan after a river in his homeland of Scotland. Avon is the anglicised
version of “Abhainn”, the Gaelic word for “river”. Whatever the facts, the delightful
combination which evolved into Stratford on the River Avon, was the inspiration for our
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annual Shakespeare Festival which takes place around the time of the Bard’s birthday in
late April. We also share sister city status with other Stratfords on Avon around the
world. Stratford is part of the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail and the Knob Reserve is an
important site on the Bataluk Cultural Trail. Stratford is ideally situated, with the
Ninety Mile Beach, Gippsland Lakes, the High Country and snowfields all within easy
reach.
More information on the history of Stratford may be accessed at the Stratford
Historical Society and additional information about the attractions of Stratford and
surrounds may be found on the Wellington Shire website www.wellington.vic.gov.au under
Tourism.
Demographics – Stratford is part of the Wellington Shire in the State Electoral Division
of Gippsland East and the Federal Electoral Division of Gippsland. The town is 231 km
from Melbourne, just over 17 km from Sale and 11km from Maffra. At December 2013
the population of Stratford township was 2613 with a median age of 42 and slightly
higher in outlying areas of Munro, Meerlieu and Fernbank. The number of households was
1229 with the proportion of people living alone 9.24%. Around 15% of the population
were aged 65 or over. More than 75% of households had an internet connection.
Stratford experienced considerable growth from the 1970s with land subdivisions, a
building boom and many young families moving to the town. A detailed profile is available
on the Wellington Shire website – www.wellington.vic.gov.au under Community Planning.
Stratford continues to grow and thrive and in recent years we have acquired 10 newly
built Independent Living Units through the Uniting Church.
Stratford proudly supports 2 schools, a kindergarten and playgroup, 3 churches, CFA,
SES, Neighbourhood Watch, Senior Citizens, CWA, service clubs including Lions, Red
Cross, RSL, Legacy, etc, sporting clubs including Football, Netball, Cricket, Tennis,
Bowls, Pony Club, Horse Riding Club, Angling, Walking Club and others, Landcare,
Prospectors and Miners, Shakespeare Association, Scouts and Cubs, Historical Society,
Trinity Treasures Op Shop, Men’s Shed, Stratford Sister Cities, Stratforward
community representative group and Stratford Town Crier free monthly community
newspaper. The closest secondary schools are located in Maffra and Sale. The closest
TAFE is at Sale and the closest university is at Churchill. There are hospitals and
ambulances services located in Maffra and Sale and Centrelink and Medicare offices in
Sale.
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Main street premises include a supermarket, pharmacy, post office, bank, newsagent,
hotel, cafes, hairdressers, beauty salon, op shop, bakery, butcher, Turkish carpets,
homewares and gift shops, model trains and hobbies shop, Segue Community Hub and
Arts Café, Courthouse Theatre for live entertainment and cinema, library, medical
practice, Maternal and Child Health centre. Other services and businesses located in
the main street include our Police station, swimming pool, caravan park, motel, service
station, car and boat wash. Numerous other business and services are located
elsewhere in the town including a commercial/light industrial area on the highway at the
eastern entry.
In respect of public transport, we are served by Vline train and coach services giving
easy affordable access to Melbourne plus a regular shopper bus service to Sale. Medical
transport is available through Red Cross, Gippsland Regional Health Service and Latrobe
Regional Health Service.
Additional local resources for further information include – Stratforward Inc., Stratford
Town Crier, Segue Community Hub, and Wellington Shire.
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Identified focus areas deriving from the community survey:
(In no particular order, see page 2 for weighted responses)
Our community…
The Stratford community identifies strongly with the environment in which we live. We
value the peace and tranquillity of our town. We value the friendliness and security of a
tightly knit community.
It is important to us that Stratford is a town that is vibrant and welcoming, that it
continues to provide markets, events and places where residents and visitors can come
together.
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What do we want?
To be a community that is
welcoming and accessible
for all.
How will we support this?
Stratforward will facilitate an annual gathering to
celebrate our year’s achievements and identify our
future goals.
Provide a welcome to those who move into the
area.
Promotion of our clubs and organisations.
Continue to support and recognise the value of our
paper, the Stratford Town Crier.
Support Segue Community Hub in its role as a
learning and community centre.
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Increase the opportunities
for all residents to
become an active part of
our community.
Continually explore ways to communicate
information more effectively within our community.
Maintain and highlight the facilities that exist for
young people within Stratford.
Create a way for our youth to have a voice.
Explore other activities and spaces that meet the
recognised needs of people within our community.
For example: Singles, youth, mature aged.
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To maintain a secure and
safe environment.
To support and grow our
existing events &
markets, so they are
vibrant and inviting.
Support all opportunities that allow us to meet one
another and socialise.
Support efforts that make our roads and paths
accessible for all.
Support existing celebrations – Shakespeare
Festival, school fetes, Uniting Church Art Show,
Carols by Candlelight.
Support new opportunities, events and ventures
that reflect our community’s values.
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Our parks and open spaces...
Overwhelmingly we care about our natural environment, and in particular we value The
Knob Reserve and the Avon River.
We place great importance on these spaces and our other open spaces being well
maintained, well used and accessible.
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What do we want?
Increase the use of the Knob
Reserve.
How will we support this?
Build a relationship with land managers and
work together to maintain and increase usage
of reserve.
Improve the assets within (walking tracks,
bike tracks, buildings around oval)
Hold more events.
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Completion of the Avon track
to The Knob Reserve.
Well maintained shared paths
and tracks within The Knob
Reserve.
The Avon River – used and
valued.
Publicise and promote the use of the space.
Find an advocacy group and support them in
getting the track completed.
Support associated groups working together
with land managers.
Support the creation/maintenance of good
access to the river.
Support events that promote the use of the
river.
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Connecting pathways
We value being able to move around our community safely, and with ease. We recognise
that the town, recreation spaces and open spaces that are well connected to each
other encourage activity and opportunities to gather together.
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What do we want?
Maintained and connected
footpaths.
How will we support this?
Support an advocacy group to facilitate a
planned approach to maintenance and
improvement of our existing pathways.
Support the creation of new, connected links
between our open spaces and recreation
reserves and the rest of our community.
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Transport and town services
It is important that we have options to travel into and out of Stratford that are flexible
and frequent.
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What do we want?
Increased transport options.
How will we support this?
Support, promote and advocate to maintain
and grow our VLine rail services, coach
services and local bus services.
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Our economic health
We value and recognise the important contribution of all local businesses and industries
within the town.
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What do we want?
A vibrant, proud and busy
main street will encourage
local people and visitors on
the highway to stop and spend
time and money in Stratford.
All businesses throughout
Stratford to be economically
viable and healthy.
How will we support this?
Support endeavours for local business
growth.
Support the creation of a group to explore
ways to draw new businesses into the main
street, that sustains current businesses
viability.
Support different celebrations that provide an
opportunity to beautify the main street and
town.
Actively seek ways to encourage residents to
support our local businesses.
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Easy, safe inviting parking
options.
Services for our businesses.
Advocate for the creation of long bay parking
with easy town access.
Advocating for natural gas connection and
better internet connections.
Stratford is our town, this is our plan…
Community Plans provide a community with a shared vision, identifying shared values and
key areas of importance that the community would like to see strengthened.
Stratforward, Stratford’s community group whose purpose is to support the Stratford
community in identifying projects and taking action to further strengthen our place, will
hold an annual public gathering to reflect on actions of the past year, and identify
projects for the next 12 months. This will be the opportunity for us all to become
involved, stand and share our ideas, support what others are doing, get to know one
another a little better.
Our place, Stratford, is what we make it, and our Community Plan reminds us of our
shared values and our goals and guides our actions. We warmly invite you to be involved,
meet some new people and together build a stronger Stratford.
For further information at any time you can contact Stratforward
[email protected]