Projects & Priorities
Ten grouped project ideas and eight areas needing further investigation, distilled from everything the community shared on 17 May.
Two kinds of next step
Everything the community raised has been sorted into ideas that are ready to be scoped, and questions that need answering before anything sensible can be designed.
Field of Opportunity
A coherent project concept the community could realistically scope and start, with the right partner support. Ten of these emerged.
Deep Dive
A question or issue that needs real investigation before action can be designed. Eight of these emerged, most attached to a project group.
Ten project groups
Tap any project to open it and see the specific ideas beneath it, along with any areas needing investigation first.
Consolidate and strengthen existing fire guard and alert networks into a coordinated valley-wide system that supports resident preparedness, addresses roadside fuel loads and hazard trees, builds fire-retardant landscapes, and links to CFA and YRC emergency management systems.
- Map existing WhatsApp fire guard groups and Alert Watch Steels Creek membership, and identify gaps
- Develop a new resident fire safety briefing as part of a Welcome Pack, covering escape routes and personal fire plans
- Develop and distribute fire-retardant plant species information for residents
- Establish a community roadside vegetation program to remove hazard trees and reduce fuel loads on verges
- Advocate to YRC for an upgraded, valley-wide effective fire alarm system
- Create signage and digital content targeting tourists in fire-prone periods
- Explore Indigenous fire knowledge and cultural burns with Elders as part of community education
- Address tree and powerline conflicts
Steels Creek has one main road in and out. This is the community's most acute existential risk in a fire or major flood event, with added concern about dangerous roadside trees that could block the road during an emergency. This requires urgent, dedicated investigation.
- What are the current YRC and Emergency Management Victoria plans for the Steels Creek access route during declared emergencies?
- What is the current condition and management responsibility for roadside trees along Steels Creek Road?
- Are there viable alternative or emergency-only routes that could be activated or upgraded?
- How does the Steels Creek MEMP address single access vulnerability, and does it need revision?
- What is the feasibility of a community shelter-in-place facility with hardened communications?
- What responsibilities do absentee owners and short-stay operators have under current emergency planning frameworks?
Frustration with BAL assessments, tree and vegetation management overlays and the associated compliance costs was raised directly. This intersects with concern about the high cost of biodiversity projects and ecological restoration. The community deserves a clear picture of what is actually required and where advocacy is warranted.
- What BAL and vegetation management overlays currently apply across the valley, and what do they require of landowners?
- Where are regulations creating genuine safety outcomes, and where are they adding burden without clear benefit?
- What mechanisms exist for landowners to seek reconsideration or exemption?
- Has YRC engaged with the community on how these overlays are working in practice?
- Could a community-wide advocacy position be developed and presented to YRC and DEECA?
Develop a coordinated, valley-wide pest and weed management program addressing the most pressing ecological threats — blackberry, deer, rabbits, foxes, kangaroos and general weed pressure — through structured Landcare partnerships, Council programs and community action.
- Establish a valley-wide weed management plan prioritising blackberry control (very high community endorsement)
- Develop a comprehensive pest animal management protocol covering deer, rabbits, foxes and kangaroo density
- Work with YRC and DEECA to extend and better coordinate the deer culling program
- Develop a rabbit and fox management plan with a landowner participation model
- Coordinate monthly Busy Bee working days with a consistent program and volunteer roster
- Explore a rat eradication program in partnership with Council
- Engage local schools, youth groups and corporate volunteers in weed and biodiversity monitoring
- Pilot a deer meat localisation project connecting culling programs with local food use
“Too many kangaroos” attracted high support, sitting alongside deer, rabbits and foxes as a combined pest pressure. Unlike deer, kangaroo management involves a different regulatory and cultural context that warrants dedicated investigation before any community program is designed.
- What is the current kangaroo population density in the valley relative to ecological carrying capacity?
- What are the regulatory frameworks governing kangaroo management on private and Crown land in Victoria?
- What are the ecological trade-offs of kangaroo reduction versus other biodiversity management actions?
- What evidence links kangaroo density to road accident risk in the valley?
- What have comparable rural communities in Victoria done to manage kangaroo density sustainably?
- How does kangaroo management interact with Indigenous cultural and land management values?
Develop a community-owned Natural Environment Stewardship Plan that integrates ecological restoration, water management, climate adaptation and green resource use into a single strategic framework, built on the existing Sub-Catchment Management Plan.
- Build on the S.C. Sub-Catchment Management Plan as a starting foundation and identify what is missing
- Develop a dam and water management inventory for the valley, mapping supply, access and condition
- Progress creek stabilisation and erosion management with Melbourne Water support
- Explore a green waste and biomass resource hub for mulching, composting and on-farm biomass utilisation
- Establish a native bee, pollinator and fire-retardant plant establishment initiative
- Advocate for under-road culverts for wombats at key wildlife crossing points
- Develop tree planting targets and a program with TRC, Landcare and YRC
- Engage Elders for Indigenous land and water knowledge to inform the plan
- Explore wasp management as part of the broader pest management approach
Changing rainfall, extreme heat, erosion, powerline and tree conflicts and dam use were all raised. Before action can be designed, the community needs to understand what water assets exist and what the emerging risks actually are.
- How many private and shared dams exist in the valley, and what is their current condition and capacity?
- What is the observed pattern of rainfall and extreme heat change in the valley over the past two decades?
- What is the current creek health status, and where are the key erosion hotspots?
- What role does Melbourne Water play in the valley, and how can community engagement be strengthened?
- How can dam and water infrastructure be incorporated into the emergency management plan as a community resource?
- What is the risk posed by powerlines in conflict with tree growth, and how is this being managed?
Realise the latent potential of the Steels Creek Community Centre as the social, organisational, emergency and environmental hub for the valley. The Centre is already active as a base for Landcare, Busy Bees and community groups, and the community is ready to develop it further.
- Facilitate a Community Centre visioning process to agree on role, governance and programming
- Develop the SCCC for family use, including a playground, BBQ area and all-ages programming
- Install a speaker and microphone system for community meetings and events
- Establish the SCCC as a 24-hour accessible emergency staging space with backup power and public toilets
- Develop a Community Garden at the SCCC (very high community interest)
- Revive the community market at the SCCC in partnership with local food producers
The Community Centre appears across every environment as a potential hub — social, emergency, economic, natural and cultural. Yet residents are also asking “what is its role?” There is a clear management and governance structure, managed by the community, but no shared awareness of it. Without that, investment and activation may remain fragmented.
- How can the management and governance structure of the SCCC be better communicated across the community?
- What is the current utilisation of the facility, and what are the barriers to greater use?
- What upgrades would be needed to make it a 24-hour emergency staging point?
- Is there appetite in the community for greater involvement in the management of the SCCC?
- How can the SCCC be financially sustainable while remaining accessible to all community groups?
Two connected strands: welcoming new residents properly, and fixing the communication gaps that leave people unaware of what's happening and what they need to know.
New Resident Welcome
Design and deliver a structured welcome experience for new permanent residents that turns arriving strangers into engaged community members who understand the valley's fire, wildlife and environmental responsibilities.
- Produce a Steels Creek Welcome Pack (online) covering fire safety, wildlife, pest management obligations, community groups, local history and key contacts
- Host an annual “Welcome to the Valley” new residents function
- Connect new residents into existing clubs, working groups, Landcare and SCTSC
- Develop a Helpers Register of people who can be called on for tasks without formal committee membership
- Include feral cat, rabbit and weed management responsibilities as part of onboarding
- Include information on Alert Watch Steels Creek and fire guard groups
Communications
Poor internet and mobile connectivity affect day-to-day life, access to work and safety during hazard events. Knowledge of what is happening across the community — and of essential information such as escape roads and the management arrangements for the Community Centre — is inconsistent.
- Explore establishing a community website that keeps the community informed of everything it needs and wants to know, including progress of this project
- Explore how to improve internet and mobile phone service for full geographical coverage and acceptable modern speeds
The risk that current programs rely on too few people is one of the most strategically important findings of the workshop. Before designing new programs — especially the ambitious natural environment agenda — the community needs to understand and address its volunteer base and governance capacity.
- How many active volunteers currently support SCTSC, Landcare and associated community groups?
- What are the main barriers to volunteering in the valley — time, skills, awareness, confidence?
- What would a Volunteer Register or Helpers Register look like in practice, and who would coordinate it?
- What succession planning exists for key community roles and committees?
- What corporate volunteer partnerships could supplement community volunteer capacity?
- What support can The Resilience Canopy or YRC provide to build organisational capacity?
Build a local circular economy connecting food growers, producers, biomass resources and consumers in the valley, supporting economic resilience, ecological health and community self-sufficiency.
- Re-establish a regular community market at the Community Centre
- Explore a community food-share and Local Food Hub model with connection to Yarra Glen
- Support permaculture, vertical food farming and community food growing interest groups
- Develop a green waste and biomass resource hub for mulch, compost and on-farm use
- Pilot deer meat kept local, including processing and distribution through community networks
- Explore a regenerative solar power and social trading enterprise model
- Develop a money-saving ideas column in the local newsletter
Leverage the demonstrated community interest in off-grid and cooperative energy to pursue a community solar, battery and bulk power project that reduces costs and improves disaster resilience.
- Assess the feasibility of a community solar and storage bank
- Explore group bulk electricity purchasing to reduce household costs
- Investigate community microgrid or community battery models suited to rural Victoria
- Partner with Melbourne Water and state energy programs already active in the valley
- Map existing solar installations to identify community knowledge and potential contribution
Develop genuine, respectful partnerships with Traditional Owners and Elders to weave Indigenous knowledge into the community resilience, fire management, land stewardship, food systems and cultural life of the valley.
- Identify and engage the relevant Traditional Owner group for the Steels Creek valley (high community support)
- Establish an ongoing relationship with Aboriginal Elders for environmental education, weed and fire management
- Explore Indigenous fire knowledge and cultural burns as part of the valley fire preparedness approach
- Develop a History of the Valley resource incorporating both Indigenous and settler history
- Create trail interpretation nodes featuring country, language and fire story on the Steels Creek Road Trail
- Invite Indigenous groups to run events and cultural programs in the valley
- Explore bush foods and medicine knowledge-sharing events open to the whole community
The community's desire to engage with Traditional Owner knowledge is genuine and consistent across the Cultural, Natural and Internal boards, with Elders specifically named as helpers. Careful preparation is needed to build this relationship well, and to do so through the right people and processes.
- Which Traditional Owner group or groups have rights and interests in the Steels Creek valley under Victorian law?
- Are there existing relationships between SCTSC, TRC or YRC and relevant Aboriginal organisations?
- What protocols and principles should guide the community's approach to partnership?
- Where could Traditional Owner knowledge most enrich community resilience — fire, land, food, water?
- What resources and funding exist to support genuine Indigenous-community partnerships in this context?
Investigate cooperative insurance and financial resilience models that reduce the burden of bushfire, flood and ecological risk on individual households. Insurance mitigation was a high-support priority and the community is clearly ready to act on this.
- Research group and mutual insurance schemes available to rural residential communities in Victoria
- Engage a financial adviser or insurance broker familiar with bushfire-affected property in the Yarra Ranges
- Explore advocacy pathways to change postcode-based insurance premium models
- Develop a community position on BAL overlay requirements and engage YRC for a review
- Share money-saving information and group purchasing options via the local newsletter
- Connect with Yarra Glen and other nearby communities for collective purchasing power
Address the critical gap in transport options for elderly, young and non-driving residents, and develop a connected trail network that reduces vehicle dependency, increases community health and links the valley's key assets.
- Maintain and upgrade the Steels Creek Road Multi-use Trail as a priority community asset
- Advocate for a sealed multi-use path extension with Yarra Ranges Council (high support)
- Explore extension of the multi-use track to Old Kinglake Road for horse trail use
- Ensure adequate seating along walking trails, particularly for elderly residents
- Trial a community ride-share or “community Uber” model using local volunteer drivers (high support)
- Explore a school and shopping shuttle bus service in partnership with Yarra Ranges Council
- Include a public toilet at the end of the walking track as part of trail development
- Establish a local tradies and services list to reduce travel distances for residents
Mental health isolation was named directly, reinforced by the ageing population theme, the vulnerability of specific groups including veterans, and the absence of local services. The Be Well in the Ranges psychologist service for Steels Creek was specifically identified, suggesting awareness of the issue but uncertainty about what is available.
- What is the extent and distribution of social isolation in the valley, especially among elderly and solo residents?
- What is the Be Well in the Ranges service, and how accessible is it to Steels Creek residents?
- How are Black Saturday trauma and ongoing climate anxiety showing up in the community?
- What peer-led or volunteer wellbeing support models exist in similar rural communities?
- What role can regular social gatherings — progressive dinners, music groups, film nights — play in addressing isolation?
How it all fits together
The eleven themes across the top, with the project groups and deep dives that sit beneath each one.
| T1Fire safety and emergency preparedness | T2Transport, access and road safety | T3Pest animals, weeds and ecological pressure | T4Land, water and climate adaptation | T5Ecological restoration and green economy | T6Indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage | T7Economic resilience, insurance and regulatory burden | T8Health, wellbeing and access to services | T9Community infrastructure and facilities | T10Community organisation and volunteer capacity | T11Community connection and social cohesion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projects | FO01 Steels Creek Fire Guard and Preparedness Network |
FO10 Trail, Active Transport and Community MobilityFO01 Steels Creek Fire Guard and Preparedness Network |
FO02 Pest Animal and Weed Management Program |
FO03 Natural Environment Stewardship PlanFO08 Indigenous Partnership and Cultural Heritage Program |
FO03 Natural Environment Stewardship PlanFO06 Green Economy and Local Food InitiativeFO07 Community Energy Independence |
FO08 Indigenous Partnership and Cultural Heritage Program |
FO09 Group Insurance and Financial Resilience |
-- | FO04 Community Centre as Multi-Function Hub |
FO05 Community Integration Program |
FO05 Community Integration Program |
| Deep dives | DD01 Access Roads: Emergency Vulnerability and MitigationDD04 BAL Overlay, Tree Regulations and Regulatory Burden |
-- | DD02 Kangaroo and Wildlife Density: Ecological and Safety Implications |
DD03 Water Management, Dams and Climate AdaptationDD07 Indigenous Connection: Mapping Existing Relationships and Opportunities |
-- | DD07 Indigenous Connection: Mapping Existing Relationships and Opportunities |
-- | DD06 Mental Health, Social Isolation and Vulnerability |
DD05 The Role and Future of the Steels Creek Community Centre |
DD08 Volunteer Capacity and Governance Sustainability |
-- |
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see all eleven themes.
Which of these should we start first?
Ten projects is more than any community can take on at once. Rate the themes so we know where the energy is, and read the full report if you'd like the detail behind every idea on this page.
How do you see yourself contributing?
Now you've read the themes, the projects and the areas for further investigation — where do you fit? The SCCRP is for the whole community, by the community, and it needs to keep growing. The small actions are as vital as the larger ones.
