Heritage sought for horseshoe

Baw Baw Shire will seek heritage controls for the dry river bed of the Horseshoe Bend and Thomson River environs.

Council will request Planning Minister Richard Wynne support a planning scheme amendment to apply an interim heritage overlay for the area.

Earlier this year council resolved that officers should prepare a planning scheme amendment to prevent inappropriate works occurring in the area and environs surrounding the Thompson River diversion.

The aim of the overlay was to protect the heritage significance of the location and ensure any works proposed in the location would be fully considered and ensure protection of the diversion and the surround environs.

Officers said an interim heritage overlay would ensure works to develop a fishway or other works on the dry river bed of the Horseshoe Bend/Thomson River and environs would require a planning permit.

Council will seek interim controls while this planning scheme amendment is being prepared.

A report to council said planning scheme amendment C114 had been prepared to seek an interim heritage overlay over the land surrounding the Horseshoe Bend Tunnel, including upstream of the tunnel inlet and downstream of the tunnel outlet.

“The purpose of the overlay is to protect the heritage significance of the location and ensure that any works proposed in the location will be fully considered and ensure the relevant protection of the diversion and the surround environs.

Officers said an existing heritage overlay covers the Thompson River diversion tunnel only and does not provide enough protection to the heritage values of the whole site as identified in Historic Heritage Survey: Horseshoe Bend Gold Mining Area Thomson River Victoria.

Officers said the Friends of Horseshoe Bend requested council make this request to the minister to facilitate heritage significance of Horseshoe Bend.

Council was told an application for an interim heritage overlay was considered under the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and not advertised to the general public.

However, a full planning scheme amendment will need to have full public exhibition and referred to relevant authorities.

Cr Murray Cook said there heritage listing for this site was important. He said a lot of work had been done to protect both sides of the stream.

Cr Cook said a pamphlet about the tunnel said the entrance was an impressive site and the tunnel represented the “hidden history of the old time gold miners.”

“It is important we keep that history. We don’t want environmental vandalism,” Cr Cook said.