Winchelsea Arboretum Trail Group has proposed upgrading of Bennett Reserve, aiming to help activate the space through tree planting and landscaping.
The proposal aligns with the group’s vision for enhancing existing treed sites in the town, developing new treed sites and linking the sites via ‘greenways’. The arboretum trail group is a sub-committee of Growing Winchelsea and the Bennett Reserve project is being led by Growing Winchelsea with project planning support from the Surf Coast Shire Council.
It follows the successful community led landscape upgrade of the reserve on the corner of Mercer and Barkly Streets. The community proposal for Bennett Reserve was lodged via Council’s Community Project Proposal Portal (surfcoast.vic.gov.au/CommunityProjects) and then referred to the Community Project Development Program for further investigation support.
Arboretum trail group members met with Council officers in January 2025 and discussed ideas for ‘light touch’ landscape enhancement. Council arborists have now assessed existing trees on site and identified some in poor health that need to be removed and others to be remediated.
These works will take place late June / early July. Most of the existing trees will remain. A draft landscape plan will be developed proposing planting of new trees, identifying of native grasses that could be isolated for remediation and installation of one or two picnic tables to encourage people to spend time in the reserve. The working group will aim to share the draft plan with the community in September 2025. Winchelsea Arboretum Trail Group will then seek funding for the landscape upgrade works.
For further information about this project, please contact Growing Winchelsea via secretary@growingwinchelsea.com or Nicky Angus, Community Project Development Officer, Surf Coast Shire Council via info@surfcoast.vic.gov.au or 5261 0600.
