Will everything remain within a seven-minute drive? The beach, schools, sporting facilities and work? Will our roads be clogged with driver-less cars?

These are some of the questions Warrnambool City Council wants residents to ponder as it develops a plan to manage the city’s growth.

What do you want Warrnambool to look like in 2040?

The council is in the middle of community consultation to establish the Warrnambool 2040 (W2040) plan to create a vision, and identify priorities and goals for the city. Residents can also complete a ‘Wish for Warrnambool’ survey, which asks people to share what they love, would keep or change, and their ultimate wish for the city in 2040. Community policy and planning manager Lisa McLeod said the plan would be created through an extensive, community-led process, with conversations already happening about the aspirations and expectations of residents and visitors over the next 20 years.

“We are exploring how people feel about living in Warrnambool, and looking at all parts of what it is like to live here,” she said. “We want people to judge the place, and then direct us on where they want it to go. We are hoping to form an idea of what is really important to the people of the city. We are having lots of engagement with the community to inform the strategy.”

Since 1996 Warrnambool’s population has grown by 25 per cent.

Mrs McLeod said the growth had been matched with an increase of 1228 new dwellings.

“In the coming 20 years between 2017 and 2036, Warrnambool’s population is expected to grow by around 12,000 people,” she said. “This is equivalent to adding a town the size of Colac, or Port Fairy, Mortlake, Terang and Camperdown combined to Warrnambool’s current population.”

To get ready for the population growth and to encourage a liveable, viable city, W2040 and three other strategic plans are being developed for Warrnambool.

The plans to be developed are:

The survey can be found at www.surveymonkey.com/r/w2040.

SURVEY respondents have indicated they want a viable, friendly city with easy access to the beach and open spaces, and plenty of jobs. 

Since April more than 700 Warrnambool Now and 2040 surveys have been received.

Mrs McLeod said the survey had been completed by a diverse range of people so far.

There has been more than 365 Wish for Warrnambool surveys received, which asks residents to share what they love, would keep or change, and their ultimate wish for the city in 2040.

The council’s economic development unit has translated the survey into Korean and Mandarin and  more than 20 surveys have been completed by Midfield Meat’s Chinese and Korean workers and backpackers.

“We have had pop up engagements at 15 Active Hub events, with approximately 2000 people being informed about the W2040 conversation,” Mrs McLeod said.

“They have shared their views via the survey or the W2040 art activity.”

She said the main themes coming from the survey so far indicated what respondents loved or valued most about Warrnambool was the access to the beach and recreational areas such as open spaces, parks and walking tracks.

“When asked what they would definitely keep for the future the most common responses could be themed as environment and liveability factors – beaches, parks, places for walking and cycling, current services, university, trees, gardens,” Mrs McLeod said.

“Specific places which were named included Lake Pertobe, the art gallery, the foreshore, the civic green, Flagstaff Hill and the breakwater.” 

She said a large number of respondents also identified the importance of keeping Deakin University in the city. 

“Having a range of options for study and education, especially post-secondary, is a priority for many respondents,” Mrs McLeod said.

“Another consistent message is coming through about the need for Warrnambool to offer enough job opportunities in the future.”

Warrnambool has the eighth-largest economy in Victoria outside of metropolitan Melbourne.

Survey respondents have also said they would like to see the library improved – both the services and the book collection. Mrs McLeod said she was happy with the reach and responses to date.

“We should end up with a solid representation of the wider community’s views,” she said. Of the survey respondents so far, two in three are female and one in three are male.  

Mrs McLeod said 80 per cent lived in the Warrnambool City Council area, 17 per cent lived in the region, two per cent would like to live here in the future and one per cent were visitors to Warrnambool.

PEOPLE of all ages have been encouraged to complete the W2040 surveys.

School children have taken up the task, highlighting their vision for the city’s future at community events.

To date, the top 15 words used to describe how respondents would like Warrnambool to be in 2040 include – friendly/welcoming, vibrant, thriving, clean, sustainable/green, caring, modern, connected, affordable, safe, happy, natural, beautiful, fun and inclusive.

Mrs McLeod said there was still further engagement activities planned, with two more weeks of surveys and conversation toolkit submissions from groups, and a Future Lab workshop at the council’s annual Fun4Kids Festival in July.

The Future Lab workshop aims to engage with the city’s visitors and families, who will be attending the Fun4Kids festival.

Clubs, groups and organisations also have the option of asking a W2040 team member to come to their meeting or event to explain the surveys.

“When the engagement analysis and reporting is complete in late July there will be detailed reports available,” Mrs McLeod said.

“They will unpack differences between experiences, issues and views by age group, gender and where they live. 

“This will assist all partners to the plan understand the different views of various groups living across the municipality.”

The Warrnambool 2040 plan will guide the actions of the council, other local organisations, and be used to influence government.

“It will be an advocacy document to get better services that people will need in 20 years time,” Mrs McLeod said. 

For more information about the survey or to book a speaker email communityplanning@warrnambool.vic.gov.au.