Small towns and historic settlements are home to many of Greater Bendigo’s residents. The level of infrastructure and community services available in these areas varies significantly. Some of these communities sit on land within the Township Zone, whilst others have the rural zones applied throughout. There has been limited strategic planning undertaken to consider opportunities for use and development within these areas.

A number of key issues have been identified, including:

• The proliferation of residential uses in the Farming Zone (FZ) which encroaches on existing and potential future agricultural operations and negatively impacting on ‘the right to farm’.
• Small towns and settlements in Greater Bendigo often lack essential infrastructure and services, including reliable transportation, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions. This limits their ability to support growing populations and attract new residents.
• Some small towns are considered legacy ‘soldier’ settlements, but as they have declined in population, their role has become unclear in the broader context of Greater Bendigo.
• There can be ongoing land use conflicts between residential development, agricultural activities, and conservation efforts. The pressure for rural residential development leads to the fragmentation of agricultural land and impact environmental values.
• Small towns and settlements are particularly vulnerable to environmental risks such as bushfires, droughts, and floods. These risks are exacerbated by climate change, which increases the frequency and severity of such events.
• Some recommendations from the Rural Areas Strategy 2009 were implemented into the Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme, which address the right to farm and the issue of isolated dwellings in the FZ (i.e. through implemented polices at Clause 02.03-1). However, these policy acknowledgements do not appear to be strong enough to discourage planning permit applications being made which have the potential to create adverse land use impacts which disrupt established agricultural activity.

A number of opportunities have been identified, including:

• Invest in upgrading infrastructure and services in select small towns with the ability to grow to improve the quality of life for residents and activate the settlement.
• Encourage economic diversification by supporting local businesses, promoting tourism, and fostering new industries such as agri-tourism and eco-tourism.

A number of potential strategies have been identified, including:

• Develop land use plans that integrate residential, agricultural, and conservation priorities for areas around settlements. Ensure that new developments are carefully planned to minimize land use conflicts and protect valued agricultural land.
• Undertake targeted infrastructure improvement programs focused on critical areas such as transportation and local parks. Prioritise projects that have the greatest potential to enhance the liveability of small towns and enable growth.