Tasmania’s Meander Valley Council and its community have notched up many significant community achievements. The latest of these being named Australian Community of the Year 1997 by the National Australia Day Council.
The Town of Deloraine and surrounding district, has made the most of the area’s natural assets bringing increased activity to the Town, the district and the State. The list of achievements are wide ranging and include the following.
- Three times winner of the State Tidy Towns Award.
- Preservation of colonial architecture dating from the early 1800s as art galleries, craft centres, museums and guest houses. Council provides a Townscape Rate Incentive Scheme as an incentive to local residents to improve and preserve their buildings.
- Establishing Rotary Park which won the National Heart Foundation’s Local Government Healthy Heart Award in the category ‘Best Outdoor Recreational Facility’.
- In 1996, the district hosted the Northern Tasmanian Regional Games, involving over 2,000 athletes in 20 different sports. This event received the 1993 Australia Day Award for the Best Community Event from the National Australia Day Council.
- In 1996, the community hosted the 16th Tasmanian Cottage Industry Exhibition and Craft Fair featuring the work of over 200 local and interstate craftspeople and artists. This event, held annually, attracts over 30,000 visitors to the district with over half a million dollars being injected directly into the local economy.
- The Deloraine Community arts project known as YARNS won the 1995 Tourism Development Award Category in the Tasmanian Local Government Awards.
- Establishing the Meander Valley Enterprise Centre, a community based organisation which provides sustainable employment opportunities in the district. Here employers can seek free and confidential business advice and training including tourism workshops. It also conducts Farmsearch, an annual seminar on future directions in agricultural issues.
- The Deloraine Recycling and Landfill site managed by Tasmanian Trash Transformers has been cited as a model for rural waste management in Australia and recently won a State Landcare Award.
- Establishing a satellite centre of Giant Steps Tasmania, providing a therapeutic centre for autistic children.
All these activities have involved Council and the community working together to improve the lives of those living in, working in and visiting the district.
For further information contact David Pyke, telephone (03) 6393 5300.
