Colleen Lazenby
City of Whittlesea
Colleen Lazenby is an experienced archaeologist, geologist and heritage specialist who has worked in local government since 1997, commencing as Heritage Coordinator at Whittlesea in 2015. Her role supports strategic land use planning and management, and development of strategies and programs for Aboriginal, historic, and natural heritage protection. She also works closely with Registered Aboriginal Parties, infrastructure delivery agencies, and similar organizations for innovative community heritage outcomes. Colleen chairs the Heritage Special Interest Group for Local Government, the Heritage Committee of Melbourne Royal, and is a member of the Local Government Special Advisory Committee to the Heritage Council of Victoria.
INNOVATIVE PLANNING TOOLS FOR DRY STONE WALL PROTECTION – VICTORIA’S DSW TOOLKIT
In Victoria, Dry Stone Wall (DSW) protection is supported by Clause 52.33 of the State Planning Policy Framework, but limited guidance is provided. Additional protection can be applied by adding DSW to the Schedule to Clause 43.01 the Heritage Overlay.
Mapping and assessing DSW can be resource-intensive activities particularly for local governments across rural, regional and remote locations where large geographic areas need to be mapped and where competing priorities for local government funding exist. Thousands of these beautiful heritage assets are found in western, central and north-central Victoria, often in association with volcanic landscapes. Dry stone walls are also extant in New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania.
This presentation will introduce an innovative DSW Toolkit, developed by the City of Whittlesea with funding from the Victorian Planning Authority. Resources in the Toolkit aim to support retention of DSW for their cultural heritage, landscape and aesthetic values while offering insights for their management and integration in land use planning and delivery.
The Toolkit includes a Design Guide; a Guide for writing and reviewing DSW Management Plans; and instructions on how to access and use a mapping and recording App developed by Whittlesea.
Users of the Toolkit can find information on protection legislation, examples of best practice, and case studies from the Cities of Melton, Whittlesea, and Wyndham.
The Toolkit provides guidance for strategic land use planning, transport, landscaping and infrastructure outcomes when protecting and incorporating DSW. It is anticipated that the Toolkit will be available online from March 2024 and will provide significant assistance for council staff, developers, landowners and DSW enthusiasts alike.
