1

Mount Alexander Shire Council Local Community Planning Project

Community Profile

Harcourt 3453

2

INTRODUCTION

Mount Alexander Shire Council has been funded over three years until May 2014, through the

State Government’s Department of Planning and Community Development, to undertake the

Mount Alexander Shire Local Community Planning Project (LCPP).

The project aims to support local community engagement across the Shire to enable

communities to articulate their needs and aspirations through the development of local

community-based Action Plans.

In September 2011, Council announced that Harcourt would be one of three townships to

participate in the first round of planning. This document has been formulated to provide some

background information about Harcourt and a starting point for discussion.

ABOUT MOUNT ALEXANDER SHIRE

The original inhabitants of the Mount Alexander area were the Jaara Jaara Aboriginal people.

European settlement dates from the late 1830s, with land used mainly for pastoral purposes,

particularly sheep grazing. Population was minimal until the 1850s, spurred by gold mining

from 1851, the construction of the railway line, and the establishment of several townships.

Rapid growth took place into the late 1800s before declining as gold supplies waned and mines

were closed. Relatively stable between the 1950’s and the 1980’s, the population increased

from about 12,700 in 1981 to 16,600 in 2006. The preliminary Estimated Resident Population

for 2010 is 18,4211.

Mount Alexander Shire (MAS, the Shire) forms part of the Loddon Mallee Region (the Region),

which encompasses ten municipalities and covers nearly 59,000km2 in size, or approximately

26 percent of the land area of the State of Victoria.

The Shire is approximately 1,530km2 in size and comprises several small towns and

communities of national historic and environmental significance. The population of the Shire is

quite centralised, with approximately two thirds of the population living in the greater

Castlemaine area, including the townships of Chewton, Campbells Creek and Barkers Creek.

Other primary townships include Newstead, Maldon, Taradale and Harcourt.

Formed in 1995 from the merger of the City of Castlemaine, Shire of Newstead, most of the

Shire of Maldon and Shire of Metcalfe, Mount Alexander is divided into five wards: Calder

Ward, Castlemaine Ward, Coliban Ward, Loddon Ward and Tarrengower Ward. Castlemaine

Ward has three councillors while the other wards are represented by one councillor each.

1 Estimated Resident Population – Mount Alexander Shire, Australian Bureau of Statistics, June 2011

3

Figure One: Map of Mount Alexander Shire

Figure Two: Map of Harcourt

4

ABOUT HARCOURT

HISTORY

The rural township of Harcourt is located 30 kilometres south of Bendigo and nine kilometres

north of Castlemaine in the municipality of Mount Alexander.

The rich granite soils, climate and terrain of the Harcourt region enable the production of many

agricultural and horticultural crops. The first apple orchard was planted in 1859 and the region

is now one of Australia’s pre-eminent eating and cider apple and pear producing areas. Home

to a growing wine industry, Harcourt boasts a number of vineyards producing varieties

including Shiraz, Cabernet Savignon, Pinot, Reisling, Chardonnay and Viognier wines. Over forty

producers and retailers have combined under the ‘Taste for Gold’ banner to collectively

promote the food and wine attractions and produce of the region.

Through federal and state government funding, progressive upgrades and realignment of the

Calder Freeway began in 2005. In April 2009 the Harcourt bypass section of the project was

opened creating an estimated daily reduction of 9,000 vehicle movements through the town

and effectively bisecting its centre. The community took a pro-active and collective approach

to considering the impacts and opportunities that this major infrastructure project presented,

with a focus on economic prosperity and vitality. The community identified the need to

develop a strategic action plan, which they named Harcourt After the Bypass. It was decided to

focus on the following key elements:

• A Place to Live: strengthening the local economy through residential growth and

associated growth of facilities and services

• The Town Centre: creating an attractive and vibrant community space; and

• Tourism: making Harcourt a destination of choice.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Harcourt is home to an immediate population of 439 people (160 households). This is

projected to increase to 1100 residents (500 households) by 2021 though it should be noted

that the present rate of dwelling construction activity does not support this increase.2

Attainment of these kinds of new dwellings would require considerable changes to zoning and

release of land to accommodate this.

Current migration trends indicate that almost 18% of the population arrived within the past five

years, 66% have lived in Harcourt for more than five years, and the remaining 16%, all of their

2 SED Consulting Mount Alexander Shire Council Harcourt: After the Bypass, p16

5

lives. Only a small proportion of the population of Harcourt was born outside Australia (4.5%),

and of those people all are proficient in English.

Compared to the rest of the Shire, Harcourt’s population is slightly younger than average which

points to a trend toward moving away for better services in old age – (13.6% of Harcourt’s

adults are aged 65-84 as compared to 16% for MAS and 14% for Regional Victoria).

Correspondingly, school attendance shows a slightly higher percentage of the population

attending primary school and secondary school with marginally higher figures than MAS for

tertiary attendance. Harcourt Valley Primary School currently has 84 students on the roll. An

injection of 1.8 million dollars by Federal Government in 2009 saw old relocatable buildings

replaced with state of the art facilities. The Harcourt and District Playgroup, run by the Uniting

Church meets on a weekly basis and the Harcourt Pre-School Play Centre provides 3 & 4 year-

old kinder services.

Compared to the rest of the Shire, Harcourt is home to a lesser number of one-parent families

and a significantly greater number of couples with children – 48.8% in comparison to 38.7% in

MAS.

In terms of Faith, 50% of the population describe themselves as Christian (compared to 68% in

Regional Vic), 1.4% as Non-Christian, and 32% as having no religion.

ECONOMICS

Hundreds of hectares of apple orchards cover the Harcourt Valley with approximately 20

orchards producing 40 percent of Victoria's apples. There are currently 28 local businesses

operating in the area and in addition to the aforementioned apple, pear and wine production,

the area’s fertile soil supports the cultivation of other products including cherries, raspberries,

apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, olives and goats cheeses. All have been impacted by the

continuing drought and climate change conditions. Harcourt also produces high quality granite

that has been used for significant buildings and structures across Australia.

Harcourt Post Office

Tourist attractions in the area include the Heritage Centre, Skydancers Orchid and Butterfly

Gardens, a range of vineyards and cideries and the Mount Alexander Regional Park.

6

Harcourt scores 1014 on the SEIFA index of disadvantage meaning that it has a relatively low

level of disadvantage - the benchmark score being 1000. By comparison, Mount Alexander

Shire scores 981 on the index. 38.2% of households in Harcourt earn over $1000 per week and

14.5% earn less than $350 per week (as compared to 17.6% in Regional Victoria).

Unemployment in Harcourt is on a par with MAS at around 6.5% but higher than Regional Vic’s

unemployment rate of 5.6%. Of those in employment the great majority work in Castlemaine

or Bendigo.

Rental accommodation accounts for 13.6% of the housing market as compared to 22.4% for

Regional Victoria. Housing in Harcourt is either fully owned (35.2%) or being purchased with

the aid of a mortgage (41.4%). These figures are consistent with the perceived trend towards

new arrivals and/or the need to remortgage.

COMMUNITY LIFE AND LEISURE

Leisure

Harcourt residents report enjoying having friends and family to stay, eating out/going to the

pub and attending markets, festivals, theatre and the cinema. They also have a high level of

interest in volunteering.

Of particular importance to the town is the Harcourt Applefest, which takes place every Labour

Day long weekend in March. The festival features a Saturday market with an emphasis on

apples. Entertainment is provided, including the Harcourt Idol competition, apple pie baking

competition, apple pie eating competition, street parade, and a premier event on the Saturday

night. A fun run and pet parade and Harcourt’s famous ferret races also feature on the

program.

Castlemaine and Bendigo are the preferred destinations for bulk shopping, with ‘top-up’

shopping carried out locally.

Transport

Castlemaine Bus Lines currently operates a return weekday only service from Harcourt to

Castlemaine departing Harcourt at 8.55am, 12.10pm and 2.25pm.

7

Community Life

Harcourt does not have a community newsletter. In lieu of this The Harcourt Valley Community

Website (www.harcourt.vic.au) was established at the beginning of 2010 as a resource and

business directory for the communities of the Harcourt Valley but is not regularly updated.

However, the community has since embraced social media by establishing an Applefest

Facebook profile, currently supported by over 500 people.

As a consequence of Harcourt’s active community, in 2009 the Harcourt 2020 group emerged

from Harcourt: after the bypass. Initially, a number of meetings were held that were open to

any interested members of the community, businesses, organisations or just people who were

interested in the future of Harcourt following the opening of the Calder bypass. In mid 2010

following the presentation of a report to Mount Alexander Shire Council, Harcourt 2020

disbanded in favour of the Council Advisory/Reference Group Harcourt After the Bypass which

meets four times a year, two meetings being closed and two being open to the public.

Early in 2010, Council released an Aquatic Study, which recommended a closure of the

Harcourt Outdoor Swimming Pool . This resulted in the reformation of Harcourt 2020 to

further drive the community's wants and needs for Harcourt, with the initial goal being to save

the pool, and the long-term goal being to improve the economic development and liveability of

the Harcourt Valley.

Harcourt Swimming Pool

T The Queen & King of Applefest arrive in style

8

Community Grants

The following Harcourt based organisations have received funding under Mount Alexander

Shire’s Strengthening Our Community Grants Scheme during the past two years.

2011/12

• Harcourt District & Fruit Growers Association for pest management & the development

of a food security strategy

• Harcourt Pony Club for the installation of toilet facilities

• Harcourt Valley Heritage & Tourist Centre for the installation of a heating & cooling

system in the museum’s volunteer work space

• Harcout Applefest to help ensure smooth running

2010/11

• Harcourt Pony Club for new equipment

• Harcourt Valley Heritage & Tourist Centre for the production of a tourist driving map

• Harcourt Valley Landcare Group for streamside improvement at Barkers Creek

• Harcourt Valley Heritage & Tourist Centre for Applefest 20th birthday celebrations

Community Groups

The following is a list of community groups in the Harcourt area –

ANA Hall CWA Harcourt Branch

Harcourt Bowling Club Harcourt Swimming Pool (Section 86)

Harcourt Carpet Bowls (winter) Harcourt Lions Club

Harcourt Cricket Club Harcourt Arrow Guides

Harcourt Football/Netball Club Harcourt Mount Alexander Guides

Harcourt Leisure Centre & Rec Reserve Harcourt Tennis Club

Harcourt Pony Club Harcourt North Tennis Club

Harcourt Rural Fire Brigade Harcourt Valley Heritage & Tourist Centre

Harcourt Wrens Junior Netball Club Harcourt Valley Landcare Group Inc

Harcourt Valley News Harcourt North Community Hall

Oak Forest Park Harcourt Uniting Church

9

HOT ISSUES

In 2012 the Community Planner has had conversations with groups and individuals who have so

far raised the following areas of concern -

Hot Issue Actions &

Possibilities

Priority

**

Responsibility Status

Re-establishment of a ‘village’

atmosphere

-Land rezoning

around the town

centre

-Redevelopment of

the Old Calder

Highway

2

1

Council/State Gov

VicRoads/Council

Pending

Underdeveloped tourism -Roadside signs

pointing to

Harcourt and

surrounding places

of interest

1

Business/Council/Vic

Roads

Lack of transport choices -Council to

advocate 5

DoT

Impacts of climate change -Explore

sustainability issues

within the

Community Plan

4

Ind/Business/Council

/State and Fed Gov

Changing economic and

demographic profiles

-Establish new

opportunities for

community

connection and

address in the CP

2

Community

Lack of services (ie. gas supply) 4

Shortage of leisure activities

for young people

-Ensure young

people participate

in community

planning

2

Community/Council/

Youth Services

Loss of three-year-old

kindergarten funding

-Raise awareness of

community

resources

3

Community/YMCA

** As most frequently raised by people being canvassed through current consultations.

10

NOTES

About the SEIFA Index

Relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage can broadly be defined in terms of

people’s access to material and social resources, and their ability to participate in society.

Since 1971, The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has produced four different Socio-

Economic Indexes for Area (SEIFA) which enable analysis of different aspects of relative area

disadvantage.

SEIFA indexes are assigned to areas, not to individuals. They indicate the collective socio-

economic status of the people living in an area. A relatively disadvantaged area is likely to have

a high proportion of relatively disadvantaged people. However, such an area is also likely to

contain people who are not disadvantaged, as well as people who are relatively advantaged.

Another aspect of disadvantage as measured in SEIFA is that it is multidimensional. For

example, consider a community with a relatively high level of financial wellbeing. On this basis

we may conclude that this area is relatively advantaged. However, if this community also has

very high crime rates, or poor levels of general health, these factors may cause us to view the

area as relatively disadvantaged.

(Source Australian Bureau of Statistics, ©2008)

This community profile has been developed utilising the following resources:

� Australian Bureau of Statistics National Regional Profile: Mount Alexander

� Community Indicators Victoria Mount Alexander Wellbeing Report

� Profile ID Mount Alexander Shire Community Profile

� Mount Alexander Shire Map 2020 Community Plan

� SED Consulting Mount Alexander Shire Council Harcourt: After the Bypass

� Mount Alexander Shire Council Harcourt Speaks

� Mount Alexander Shire Council Harcourt Town Centre Master Plan