Moonee Valley
Next Generation 2035
How the community vision was developed
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................ 2
THE RESEARCH DESIGN ........................................................................................ 5
Community engagement and data collection activities ........................................... 6
Demographics of survey respondents .................................................................. 10
Data analysis ........................................................................................................ 13
THE RESEARCH RESULTS .................................................................................... 15
Theme one: Friendly and safe .............................................................................. 15
Theme two: Green, clean and beautiful ................................................................ 17
Theme three: Sustainable living ........................................................................... 20
Theme four: Vibrant and diverse .......................................................................... 23
Other challenges................................................................................................... 25
CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................... 27
2
FIGURES AND TABLES
Figure one: The frequency of words in response to question two, all survey
respondents ............................................................................................................... 6
Figure two: The frequency of words in response to question two, youth summit ....... 8
Table one: Respondent numbers from community engagement activities ............... 10
Figure three: The age distribution of survey respondents ........................................ 11
Figure four: The postcode distribution of respondents ............................................. 12
Figure five: The frequency of key words used to describe Moonee Valley in 2035 .. 13
Figure six: Frequency of terms relating to challenges and opportunities .................. 14
Figure seven: Statements regarding safety .............................................................. 16
Figure eight: Statements about friendliness ............................................................. 17
Figure nine: Statements about green ....................................................................... 18
Figure ten: Statements about clean ......................................................................... 19
Figure eleven: Statements regarding residential development ................................. 22
Figure twelve: Statements regarding mobility ........................................................... 23
Figure thirteen: Statements about vibrancy and diversity ......................................... 24
3
INTRODUCTION
In 2012 Moonee Valley City Council undertook a range of community engagement
processes to update its long term Community Vision. The aim of Moonee Valley Next
Generation 2035 was to identify a vision for Moonee Valley that the community can
expect to see used as an overarching guide to Council planning, advocacy and
decision making. It can also be used to inform broader partnerships and action on
key community concerns. This report is intended to complement the Moonee Valley
Next Generation 2035 Draft Community Vision. It details the research methodology
and analysis used to develop the Vision of Moonee Valley in 2035 as a city of clean,
green and beautiful, vibrant, diverse and sustainable communities that people
experience as friendly and safe to live in.
The specific objectives of Moonee Valley Next Generation 2035 community
consultation were to:
 Develop and document a shared vision for our future
 Encourage active democracy by strengthening the links between
council decisions and community aspirations
 Encourage broad community engagement through a range of
participatory processes
Moonee Valley is a diverse community of people whose range of views and interests
is broad. We wanted to ensure this breadth of views contributed to the vision for
Moonee Valley Next Generation 2035. For these reasons we sought to implement a
research strategy that would capture the geographic and cultural diversity of the
municipality, and engage participation from people across all life stages. The
following sections describe the research methodology and the data collection and
analysis processes that were adopted to meet these objectives.
4
THE RESEARCH DESIGN
In line with the aim to identify and develop broad themes that would underpin a
vision for Moonee Valley in 2035, this research adopted a qualitative methodology.
This methodological approach was deemed the most appropriate for achieving the
research aims of developing a long term and shared vision, which strengthens links
between Council decisions and community aspirations. This is because qualitative
methods can be used to encourage the kind of conceptual thinking a shared vision
requires. They are also an appropriate means through which to make inferences
about a large group of people based on data drawn from a smaller sample of that
population.
A mix of data collection methods were used; including a survey, forums and
reference groups, and drawings. In each case we used open ended questions so as
to refrain from constraining view points or from asking respondents to select from
already established ideas. The key questions we asked were:
1. I would like Moonee Valley in 2035 to be…
2. When I picture Moonee Valley in 2035, the three words that should describe my
city are…
3. To complete my picture I think what most needs to change is…
4. I think the major challenges and opportunities in Moonee Valley over the next
twenty five years are…
These questions were designed to elicit both broad and focused thinking. In
particular the selective responses to the ‘three words’ of question two, facilitated the
identification of key themes, using frequency as one means of assessing the
importance of issues. These key themes are illustrated in figure one. The challenges
and opportunities the city faced in achieving those vision themes were then able to
be elaborated upon through the greater detail provided in the other three questions.
The community engagement processes aimed to engage with a people across
Moonee Valley. It is considered that these methods were successful in obtaining
views from range of people, with over 1000 people participating. To further ensure
the validity of the Vision themes, a second round of research consultation is planned
for the 9th to 31st of July 2012. The intention of that consultation is to gain feedback
on the draft Community Vision, and to determine if the community feels it adequately
reflects their picture for Moonee Valley in 2035.
5
Figure one: The frequency of words in response to question two,
all survey respondents
Community engagement and data collection activities
One of the objectives of the research design was to encourage broad community
engagement through a range of participatory processes. This section provides a
description of the methods adopted to inform the community about the consultation
and encourage them to share their vision. It also details the numbers of responses
garnered through the survey, forums, references groups and drawing activities, and
the different locations across the community we visited.
The consultation period ran for three months, from March until the end of May, 2012.
Moonee Valley 2035 reached over 40,000 households through the Valley View
magazine, which is distributed directly to letterboxes. News articles and notifications
describing the Vision consultation and explaining ways to become involved were
published in the local area newspapers the Moonee Valley Leader and the Moonee
Valley Weekly.
In total 1,123 people directly participated in one or more of the community
engagement methods. This included 876 people who responded using the survey.
Almost 250 additional people provided their views and feedback in other ways, such
as through children’s drawings, videos featuring the Community Ambassadors and
other community volunteers, and an Organisational Leaders Forum. The different
engagement and data collection methods are discussed in the following section.
6
The survey
The main means of collecting data from the community was through a short survey.
It was distributed in hard copy and made available online. A postcard focusing on the
question ‘I would like Moonee Valley in 2035 to be...’ was created for distribution at
events where lengthy engagement may have been more difficult to secure. All
printed versions were able to be returned to Council postage paid or left in special
Vision boxes placed in libraries, the Council office and other venues.
A deliberate effort was made to involve different ethnic groups and all parts of the
municipality. This included taking Moonee Valley 2035 to over 20 different
community events such as the Moonee Valley Festival, a Children’s Expo, the
Mediterranean Festival in Keilor East and Harmony Day in Flemington.
Translated posters were used to promote the consultation in languages other than
English. Translated questionnaires meant people could complete the survey in
languages including Somali, Arabic Chinese, Vietnamese, Greek and Italian
reflecting the major languages in the community. Interpreters also assisted people to
complete the survey in other languages attending cultural events such as a lunch
celebrating a Buddhist festival at Flemington Community Centre.
A Moonee Valley Next Generation 2035 web page was created. People could
comment on specific questions, complete the survey online, or view what others
were saying in the online discussion forum and in two videos created for the project.
The first video featured volunteers from across the municipality talking about their
vision for Moonee Valley along with ideas about the challenges and opportunities
ahead. These volunteers were recruited using snowball methods through community
agencies and asking people who had won awards for service to the Moonee Valley
community. Click here to view this video, or go to www.mvcc.vic.gov.au/mv2035.
Moonee Valley businesses and organisations also helped to promote the Community
Vision consultation, including:
 Victoria University, who highlighted Moonee Valley 2035 on their Internet
home page and emailed staff and students
 Moonee Valley Traders Associations, who emailed members encouraging
them to complete a survey
 Doutta Galla Community Health Service, who highlighted Moonee Valley 2035
on their web page, encouraged clients to participate in a focus group
discussion, and provided a detailed submission
 A local Neighbourhood Learning Centre, who used the survey as an exercise
in their English Language classes.
7
Engaging with children and young people
Several strategies were adopted to engage children and young people. This was
deemed particularly important as they will be the adults living in the Moonee Valley in
2035. Education leaders used their networks at Victoria University and area schools
to encourage young people to complete the survey. There was also active promotion
of the survey at the youth oriented Sounds Loud festival. A Youth Summit involving
50 young people aged between 11 and 18 years also included a specially designed
Moonee Valley 2035 workshop. Two thirds of Youth Summit participants lived as well
as studied in Moonee Valley and just over half were 12 or 13 years of age.
Youth Summit participants were invited to articulate their responses to each of the
four Moonee Valley 2035 survey questions on post it notes. The post it notes were
shared on butchers’ paper posted to the wall for informal discussion over the course
of the day. While not all Youth Summit participants participated in the exercise a total
of 72 post it notes were submitted responding to the survey questions. The word
cloud in figure two gives a visual impression of the key words used to ‘describe my
city’. These words reflect key themes noted in other young people’s responses to
Moonee Valley 2035, as well as those raised by the broader sample (see figure one).
Figure two: The frequency of words in response to question two,
youth summit
The views of younger children were sought by asking children to draw My Dream for
Moonee Valley. This exercise was primarily conducted at the Moonee Valley Festival
and also in some preschools. A total of 80 drawings were obtained from children age
from 1 to 11 years and from areas across Moonee Valley. This included 13 from
Moonee Ponds, 12 from Essendon, 5 from Keilor East, 4 each from Airport West,
Niddrie and Avondale Heights, 3 from Strathmore and 2 from Ascot Vale. There were
an additional 33 drawings by other children.
8
Reference groups
A critical component of the process was the establishment of internal and external
project reference groups. They included an Internal Council Officers Working Group
and a Community Ambassadors Group. These two groups served to identify
potential opportunities for engagement, provided direct feedback to the research
team throughout the community engagement process, and utilised their networks in
education, community, sports and business to encourage community participation.
Community leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, business people and service
providers from across Moonee Valley were invited by the Mayor to participate in the
Community Ambassadors Group. A number also articulated their personal vision for
Moonee Valley along with ideas about the challenges and opportunities ahead in a
second video created as part of the project. Click here to view this video, or go to
www.mvcc.vic.gov.au/mv2035. Several ambassadors also shared their views in local
newspaper coverage sought to encourage community engagement in the project.
At the conclusion of the community engagement process 150 senior staff of Moonee
Valley City Council participated in an Organisational Leaders Forum. This enabled
Council leaders to look at the community’s aspirations for the City. The discussion
confirmed the need for cross Council action and to involve the community in
developing these responses.
Responses
The number of responses garnered through these different engagement efforts is
detailed in table one. Hard copy surveys that were completed and mailed to the
Council office gave us the highest number of responses. Online participation was
comparatively low, in particular in the discussion forum. This suggests that despite
promotion on websites such as that of Victoria University, that online was not
particularly effective in encouraging a direct response.
The research team is satisfied that the volume of data collected was sufficient to
develop themes that are reflective of the vision of the community, with reliability
evaluated using the principle of saturation. That is, when new data reinforces ideas
of earlier respondents, rather than contributing new concepts, data collection is
considered to have reached the point of saturation. The following sections provide
more details on the demographics of these respondents, and then outline the
methods of data analysis used to develop the community vision.
9
Data collection activities
Survey received through mail
Survey completed online
Participant in online forum
Bowes Avenue Community Centre
Flemington Community Centre
Doutta Galla Community Centre
Farnham Street Community Centre
Multi Faith network
Gateway cafe
Moonee Valley festival
Sounds Loud festival
Mediterranean festival
Harmony Day
Children’s Expo
Volunteer’s Lunch
Youth Summit
Early Years Teachers Forum
Moonee Valley Council staff induction
Community DVD
Community Ambassadors DVD
Children’s images
Organisational Leaders Forum
Total
Respondents
288
71
4
37
43
2
18
3
9
67
79
26
15
66
51
50
43
4
8
9
80
150
1123
Table one: Respondent numbers from community engagement activities
Demographics of survey respondents
Demographic data collected told us where people lived, if they were a resident, a
worker, a student or a visitor to Moonee Valley, how old they were and whether they
were male or female. This data enabled us to evaluate the extent to which we
achieved our objective of encouraging broad engagement with the community. This
section describes the demographics of the research sample, concentrating on those
who completed the survey.
The age distribution of respondents is broadly representative of the population.
Those in the 35 to 49 year old age bracket were our largest respondent group,
making up just over 25% of total respondents. Around 10% of survey respondents
did not provide their age. The age break down of respondents is presented in figure
three, and compared to data from the 2011 census.
10
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0 to 4
5 to 11 12 to 17 18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 49 50 to 59 60 to 69 70 to 84
Respondents %
85 +
Not
stated
2011 Census
Figure three: The age distribution of survey respondents
Of the survey respondents, 70% were female, 27% male, and 3% did not state their
gender. This is a higher representation of women than in the Moonee Valley
population, which was 51.5% at the 2011 census. To evaluate this limitation for its
impact on the data, we explored each of the key themes according to gender.
The key issues to which women tended to give greater emphasis was evident in
statements of beauty, and friendliness, and safety. This was seen in comments on
the safety of children and elderly and the desire for a supportive and inclusive
community. It is important to note that these differences are not large and we are
confident the higher representation of women has not adversely shaped the
development of the vision.
We also collected postcode data, and the distribution of respondents according to
their Moonee Valley residential postcode is detailed in figure four. Almost 80% of
contributors to the development of the 2035 vision lived in the Moonee Valley area. A
further 27 % worked in the region, with 17% of respondents living and working in the
municipality. An additional 12% of respondents lived outside the municipality and
either work in the area, or visit it for recreational purposes. This data from visitors
has been retained, as the perspective of those who use the area for recreational or
socialising purposes recognises the permeability of municipal boundaries.
11
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
3031
3032
3033
3034
3039
3040
3041
3042
Other
Not stated
Figure four: The postcode distribution of respondents1
As figure four demonstrates, we had a higher number of responses from residents
living in the Essendon and Moonee Ponds postcode areas, at around 18% and 15%
respectively. However overrepresentation of issues relating to these suburbs did not
appear as a bias within the data.
This is likely to reflect that the questions were constructed to encourage respondents
to consider issues broadly, rather than focus on specific aspects of their immediate
residential area. Further, whilst some respondents specifically mentioned aspects of
Moonee Ponds or Essendon they felt needed attention from Council, e.g., the
junction at Mt Alexander road, or pedestrian safety in North Essendon shopping
village, specific reference to other suburbs were also noted within the data. Finally,
the process of analysis aimed to categorise data in ways to ensure that specific
references were related to the general themes. For example requests for attention to
the Mt Alexander road junction were viewed as examples of the broader concern
regarding traffic and congestion expressed by many respondents from across the
municipality. The following section describes the data analysis processes used to
determine these categorisations in more detail.
1
The suburbs that relate to these different postcode areas are as follows. 3031, Flemington and
Kensington; 3032, Ascot Vale, Highpoint City, Maribyrnong, and Travancore; 3033, Keilor East; 3034,
Avondale Heights; 3039, Moonee Ponds; 3040, Aberfeldie, Essendon and Essendon West; 3041,
Essendon Fields, Essendon North, Strathmore and Strathmore Heights; 3042, Airport West, Keilor
Park and Niddrie.
12
Data analysis
The analysis process followed standard methods of analysis for qualitative data.
Inductive processes were used to identify key themes in the data, making particular
use of the three words respondents used to describe their ‘picture of Moonee Valley
in 2035’ in Question Two of the questionnaire. Using basic summative processes,
such as determining the frequency of use of specific terms, highlighted the key
themes that formed the basis of the overall vision. This is demonstrated in the word
frequency cloud at figure one and the frequency of the key words that underpinned
the Vision themes, shown in figure five.
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Safe
Green
Friendly
Clean
Community
Vibrant
Beautiful
Family
Sustainable
Figure five: The frequency of key words used to describe Moonee Valley in
2035
Elaborating on the underlying intent of these commonly used terms required detailed
consideration of the data. This process of identifying key words was therefore
followed by a more detailed analysis of all data, to draw out the relationships
between issues and build themes. This process drew on linkages between key
words and themes they represented, and the greater detail provided in the sections
on challenges and opportunities. This type of indepth investigation was considered
important to the transparency of the research, and the integrity of the Moonee Valley
2035 Vision.
13
This was important because frequently used terms such as friendly were used in a
variety of ways that required unpacking. People used the term to describe usability in
general, expressing a desire for a municipality that was old-aged friendly or bicyclefriendly. They also used friendly to describe Moonee Valley as a supportive, caring
and inclusive community, or to acknowledge and appreciate it as a vibrant and
happy city. These usages were also related to opportunities, such that supporting
arts and cultural activities was proposed as a means of enhancing both vibrancy and
inclusivity. Thus whilst the first usage of the term friendly is mostly instrumental, the
latter two tell us important things about the values that respondents wish to ‘feel’ in
the Moonee Valley community and offer insight into ways to achieve that.
The importance of unpacking the relationship between these issues was highlighted
by an initial analysis of themes arising from responses about what most needed to
change, and identifying challenges and opportunities. In this analysis, statements
about broad concepts such as green, safe and friendly were replaced with more
concrete concerns, such as traffic congestion, high rise development, and public
transport. This shift is demonstrated in figure six, which shows the frequency of
terms used in questions three and four of the survey. Understanding the relationship
between these very present issues, and respondent’s aspirations for Moonee Valley
in 2035, was a key objective of the data analysis.
Figure six: Frequency of terms relating to challenges and opportunities
A qualitative data analysis program called NVivo was utilised to assist in this process
and promote rigour of analysis. This program enables classification of data in ways
that can facilitate cross referencing between emerging themes and different
elements of the data, such as the demographics of specific respondents. Using this
program made it easier to extrapolate on the links between themes, and to more
closely capture the interrelated nature of many of the challenges and opportunities
that face Moonee Valley that respondents described. The following sections describe
the results of this analysis.
14
THE RESEARCH RESULTS
Methods of inductive analysis, as discussed above, were used to identify key
overarching themes. These were then elaborated upon to develop the community
vision. These key themes were as follows:
 Friendly and Safe
 Green, Clean and Beautiful
 Sustainable living
 Vibrant and Diverse.
The following section describes the data in relation to these themes.
Theme one: Friendly and safe
Safe
The term safe was the most commonly used term respondents used to describe their
picture of Moonee Valley in 2035; at 21 %. Analysis of data shows that the majority
of all references to safety (67%) were made in broad terms or without a specific
contextual reference (see also figure seven). This highlights that safety issues are
top of mind for many Moonee Valley residents and visitors. Some respondents also
used terms like violence and crime to raise general concerns about safety. Specific
statements regarding safety were related to the following areas:
 Making public spaces safe for specific groups of people, such as children and
the elderly
 Pedestrian safety, particularly around road crossings, on uneven footpaths,
and in some public spaces at night
 The safety of cyclists
 Public transport safety, both on services, and around public transport
stops/stations
 Requests for increased police presence
 The management of graffiti, which was also related to cleanliness.
15
400
300
200
100
0
Safe, general or unclear
Crime and police
Groups of people
Pedestrian and public transport safety
Safety in public space
Graffiti
Figure seven: Statements regarding safety
When considering statements regarding safety across age and postcodes, we saw
some evidence of increased concerns among older respondents, and residents of
Keilor East. However almost 50% of 12 to 17 year olds and 25 to 34 year olds were
also concerned with safety; suggesting a broad concern or desire for a safe living
environment.
Friendly
The issue of friendliness was more multifaceted than that of safety, nonetheless, it
was clearly an important issue with 15% of respondents using the term as part of
their statement of a vision. Friendly was able to be further defined as follows.
 Friendly as happy, welcoming, and fun; with a sense of energy
 Friendly as supportive, caring, inclusive; with a sense of acceptance.
The experience of friendliness as happy and fun appears to be associated with the
theme of vibrancy. Descriptors such as caring, supportive, and inclusive describe a
softer version of friendliness, and appear to be connected with notions of safety and
security.
Both these ways of using the term ‘friendly’ capture a vision of the city as diverse
and multicultural, with a sense of community or civic spirit, and that creates
opportunities for all of its residents. It is important therefore to remember that these
two broad usages are interrelated and are best understood as a description of the
types of emotional connection and experiences of interaction that people desire.
The frequency of use of these different understandings of friendliness is displayed in
figure eight.
16
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Friendly and happy general or unclear
Community general or unclear
Supportive, caring, inclusive
Welcoming, engaging, creating opportunities
Community or civic spirit
Figure eight: Statements about friendliness
Within these statements of friendliness we see a tendency for younger people to be
more likely to use it in ways that could be interpreted as happy or fun. Older
respondents and residents in areas of high ethnic and socio-economic diversity were
more likely to be concerned with experiences of inclusion and support. Some
respondents also spoke to these issues of friendliness in their discussions of
opportunities, asking for greater investment in community centres and programs,
libraries, and public spaces that can support socialising.
Theme two: Green, clean and beautiful
Green
‘Green’ was the second most common term used by respondents (16%) to describe
their ‘picture of Moonee Valley in 2035’. There were two clearly identifiable links
between the term green and the concepts in the data. These related to the green
spaces of the municipality; its parks and trees, and a concern with environmental
sustainability. Of these two areas, more than half of all statements regarding green
related to the parks, gardens and trees of Moonee Valley, as is clearly demonstrated
in figure nine.
17
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Parks, open space, trees
Environmental sustainability
Green, general or unclear
Figure nine: Statements about green
Specific areas of concern regarding parks related to:
 Availability of open and green space, particularly with regard to increasing
density
 Maintenance of existing parks, playgrounds and street trees including
o More (and different) trees
o Community gardens and farmers markets
o Dog off lead areas
o Activities within parks
o Cleanliness.
The specific areas of concern regarding environmental sustainability related to:
 The environmental implications of increased population density and how this
is managed, e.g., pollution implications of increased traffic congestion,
rubbish implications of increased density
 A desire for a Council that leads the way in promoting environmental
sustainability, e.g., renewable energy, green building design, recycling and
waste management, increased cycling and pedestrian infrastructure to
encourage less car usage.
The desire for the protection and maintenance of parks, open spaces and trees was
broadly spread across the municipality, but concentrated among older age groups. A
comparatively greater concern for environmental sustainability was expressed by
respondents within the postcode areas of Keilor East and Moonee Ponds. The basis
for this emphasis was not clear.
18
Children’s drawings also showed a strong focus on the natural environment with
many drawings featuring flowers, trees, ‘space to run around in’, and play equipment
such as swings and slides. Many children drew animals, trees and water near
buildings and objects such as traffic lights highlighting their perception of living in an
urban environment, but still being connected to its natural elements. The drawings
were consistent with previous City of Moonee Valley consultations with children
highlighting themes of play, water, nature and animals and of integrating built form
with the natural elements.
Clean
The cleanliness of the city was also an important issue for respondents, with 14%
using the word ‘clean’ to describe their Vision for Moonee Valley. Again, the majority
of these references (approx 60%) expressed a desire for a ‘clean’ city without
reference to specific concerns, as figure ten shows. References to cleanliness of
specific places and things were as follows:
 Rubbish removal in general
 Concerns regarding increasing pollution and its potential impacts
 Requests for cleaner streets and parks
 Greater promotion of recycling in public spaces and at home
 The cleanliness of the Maribyrnong River and Moonee Ponds Creek.
250
200
150
100
50
0
Clean, general or unclear
Rubbish and recycling
Pollution
Specific places
Figure ten: Statements about clean
We see a greater emphasis on cleanliness in postcode areas of 3034 (Avondale
Heights) and 3041 (Essendon Fields, Essendon North, Strathmore, Strathmore
Heights). However a desire for a clean environment is expressed across all age
groups, including in the drawings of the very young.
19
Beautiful
A third theme that was related to green and clean was the concept of Moonee Valley
as a beautiful and pleasant environment in which to live. The term beautiful was
explicitly used by 5% of respondents as an expression of their desired vision. More
general ideas of ideas of aesthetics were also expressed in relation to the character
or identity of the area. As noted in the discussion of demographics this association
was more likely to be made by women. In particular, the city’s parks, gardens and
trees were not only considered important as natural recreational and social spaces,
but also valued for their contribution to creating a beautiful and pleasant
environment.
The theme of beautiful and its relation to green and clean provides an insight into the
value placed on the aesthetics of built and natural environment of the municipality.
The city’s parks, gardens and trees were not only considered important social and
recreational spaces, but also valued as beautiful and pleasant environments. This
desire for a beautiful Moonee Valley was also evident in statements regarding the
value of the area’s period buildings, and concerns they were not being adequately
protected from development. The aesthetics of streetscapes more generally were
also raised in relation to their contribution to the character and identity of
neighbourhoods. This appreciation of the aesthetics of the built and natural
environment was also related to the continuance of the area’s history; as something
to be passed on to future generations.
Theme three: Sustainable living
Sustainability was a general term used by approximately 5% of respondents to
describe Moonee Valley in 2035 (see figure five). Some of this usage related to the
concept of environmental sustainability. However it also related to broader concerns
regarding the management of population increases, residential development, and
mobility that were particular evident in the discussion of challenges. These concerns
regarding development and mobility were also strongly linked to the association
between period housing and neighbourhood character, and the importance of parks,
trees and open space discussed in relation to the green, clean and beautiful theme
above.
They also linked to concepts of liveability and vibrancy discussed in Theme Four. For
example whilst some respondents recognised the increased population density could
help to create a vibrant and diverse Moonee Valley, others were concerned that a
failure to plan for this increase could have the opposite effect. The theme of
sustainable living was developed then as means of encompassing these challenges
in a way that was reflective of a vision for the future.
20
Residential development
Development was the most significant issue raised by respondents, and one that
underlies the implementation of many of the key themes. Respondents were
overwhelmingly negative about increased residential density, and in particular what
they termed ‘high rise’ development. It was clear that the current plans by the
Moonee Valley Race Club for development at the Moonee Valley Racecourse
underlie some of these concerns. However many respondents also expressed a
desire for the city to remain a predominantly low rise area of family homes, and
noted the open space and parking implications of dual occupancy on smaller
housing blocks. Whilst residents of Moonee Ponds and the Essendon area were
particularly vocal on these issues, a negative perception of increased housing
density was spread across all age groups and areas of the municipality.
More broadly respondents’ comments suggested there is a perception within the
Moonee Valley community that an increase of density through housing development
was being undertaken without sufficient attention to the necessary infrastructure, the
relationship of the development to the surrounding neighbourhood character, or the
wishes of the community. Some respondents were more measured in their
discussion of the issue, yet still emphasised the importance of infrastructure
investment to enable the area to remain liveable. Respondents also expressed a
concern with housing affordability. However this was commonly raised as a separate
issue to concerns about residential densification, and to a lesser extent.
Figure eleven shows the frequency of statements regarding residential development
according to assessments of their tone or intention. Those classified as negative or
challenges often took the form of ‘get rid of high rise’ or other similarly blunt
expressions. Those classified as balanced or supportive most often expressed a
recognition that residential densification was required, but that it needed to be
balanced with commensurate investments in infrastructure and open space.
Very few comments were overwhelmingly positive. Those classified as general or
unclear were statements such as ‘high rise’ that did not express an obvious opinion.
21
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Development negative or challenges
Development balanced or supportive
Development general or unclear
Figure eleven: Statements regarding residential development
Mobility
Concerns with mobility were a second key challenge raised by respondents that
directly related to population increases and the theme of sustainable living. These
key challenges raised in relation to this theme were:
 Traffic congestion
 The availability of parking in shopping precincts and for apartment
development residents
 Accessibility of public transport
 Maintenance and expansion of cycling lanes and walking paths.
Current traffic congestion and the impact this can have on both the environment,
pedestrian safety and the liveability was a particular concern. At the same time, as
noted above, respondents recognised that the availability of parking was important
for business precincts, and expressed a desire to see action from Council in this
regard. However respondents also saw opportunities, such as relating an increased
availability and connectivity of public transport with a reduced reliance on cars. They
also associated opportunities to walk or ride as a means of experiencing and
enhancing Moonee Valley’s green, clean, beautiful and friendly attributes. The
frequency of these concerns are detailed in figure twelve.
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250
200
150
100
50
0
Traffic and congestion
Parking
Public transport
Traffic, general or unclear
Figure twelve: Statements regarding mobility
Theme four: Vibrant and diverse
Vibrant
Vibrant was the sixth most common term used to describe a vision for Moonee
Valley (8%), and the fourth most common of those terms that was concise or able to
be clearly linked to specific issues. It was most often used as a standalone term,
however relations between the use of vibrant and terms like progressive,
sophisticated, innovative, exciting, and liveable were evident.
Similarly, the terms diverse and multicultural appeared as standalone descriptive
terms of a vision for Moonee Valley, yet were also related to other themes. In
particular there was a relationship between the concept of Moonee Valley as
supportive, inclusive and caring, and the recognition of its multiculturalism and
diversity. There was also an association between diversity and access to a range of
facilities and activities, such as shopping precincts, arts and cultural events, and
different kinds of open space. These different uses of vibrant and diverse are shown
in figure thirteen.
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140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Vibrant
Progressive, innovative
Properous, flourishing
Diverse and multicultural
Liveable
Fun and exciting
Sophisticated, cosmopolitan
Figure thirteen: Statements about vibrancy and diversity
Younger people were more likely to emphasise fun and exciting experiences as part
of their vision for Moonee Valley than older age groups. Concerns with diversity were
more prevalent in the Flemington and Ascot Vale areas, where the settlement of
recent immigrants in public housing has increased the ethnic and socio-economic
diversity. This is also a reflection of patterns evident in the discussion of friendliness
that were noted earlier. Youth were more likely to use terms like happy, and older
age groups, or residents of more diverse areas, express a wish for an inclusive and
caring community.
Expressions of a desire for a vibrant and liveable Moonee Valley were also evident in
discussion of activities and facilities within the area and provide useful examples of
statements regarding opportunities. Investment in arts and cultural activities was a
consistent theme in relation to the contribution they can make to a vibrant and
diverse public culture; as a means of celebrating the community, and encouraging
social mixing. In particular, young people, the elderly and the area’s diverse ethnic
groups were recognised as important potential contributors to and beneficiaries of
arts and cultural events.
Consumption-based social activities such shopping, and eating in restaurants and
cafes are also related to statements about the area’s vibrancy and liveability.
Respondents expressed both an expectation of and desire for increased access to a
range of consumption opportunities, including lifestyle activities such as restaurants,
cafes, bars, cinemas, and retail boutiques, as well as easily accessible everyday
shopping, such as butchers and green grocers.
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In particular respondents highlighted the importance of ‘local’ strip shopping
precincts and the small businesses that are found within them. These areas were
valued:
 For their contribution to economic prosperity and job creation
 As public spaces that can support social interaction and gathering
 As streetscapes that make an aesthetic and historical contribution to the
character of neighbourhoods.
Respondents saw a role for Council in supporting these businesses through:
 Investment in the appearance and safety of the public realm of shopping
precincts such as Puckle Street, Mt Alexander Road, Niddrie Central and
Essendon. This also related to concerns regarding pedestrian safety and the
aesthetic importance of street scapes
 Increasing availability of parking to facilitate and increase the number of
potential customers and the time they are able to spend in these precincts,
this also related to broader statements regarding parking availability.
More broadly, some respondents also highlighted the importance of localised
employment to their vision of a vibrant and diverse Moonee Valley. Other
respondents linked job creation with inclusion and the creation of opportunity,
specifically for youth and migrant demographics. Whilst overall the numbers of
respondents discussing employment opportunities were low, residents in the
Flemington area, or aged 35 and over were most likely to raise these issues.
In many respects themes relating to activities and facilities highlight opportunities
that respondents see as a means of working toward their vision of Moonee Valley in
2035. They suggest value for Council in considering ways to support the potential of
public spaces and activities to enhance the friendliness and vibrancy of the city.
Other challenges
Other challenges to achieving a Vision of Moonee Valley in 2035 as a city of clean,
green and beautiful, vibrant, diverse and sustainable communities that people
experience as friendly and safe to live in were noted by respondents. They included
accessibility of education, issues regarding governance, and health.
Of these, accessible and quality of education was the most important. However
these statements were neither as numerous or passionate as those relating to
residential development and to transport. Some respondents specifically asked for
more or better schools, and a similar number made general comments about the
importance of schooling and education. Access to childcare was also raised as an
issue, again however, overall numbers were low.
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Unsurprisingly, it was those aged between 35 and 49 who were most concerned with
the availability, quality and affordability of schools and childcare. We also see an
emphasis on requests for increased availability and quality of education from
residents of the Flemington and Ascot Vale areas, as well as more generally from
respondents from Essendon.
Some respondents also highlighted the role that governance and Council leadership
can play in the achieving their vision of Moonee Valley. Some mentioned rate
increases, and the importance of financial management, others called for greater
transparency and clearer communication and consultation with the community. In
line with the overriding concern for sustaining standards of liveability, many of these
calls for Council leadership were specifically related to the management of
residential development and issues with mobility.
A final issue that is often also related to population increases is that of health. While
this did not arise as a major issue, a small number of respondents used terms such
as healthy or active, to describe their ideal city. The most common statements
regarding health related to access to and maintenance of sports and recreation
facilities. Respondents were more concerned with this issue, rather than with health
overall. Attention to health services and facilities specifically for the elderly and
disabled were also raised, however overall the number of respondents commenting
on these issues was low.
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CONCLUSION
Moonee Valley Next Generation 2035: draft Community Vision is a report that
outlines an overarching vision for the future of Moonee Valley as a city of clean,
green and beautiful, vibrant, diverse and sustainable communities that people
experience as friendly and safe to live in. This was elicited through a multifaceted
process of community engagement. It distils a series of implications for planning,
partnerships and advocacy by the Moonee Valley City Council and other community
agencies and or individuals.
This document aims to complement the Community Vision report by providing more
detail on the research methodology and analysis used to develop that vision. The
overview provided in this report demonstrates considerable consistency of views,
including across age groups, postcodes and gender, about the issues of importance
and the challenges ahead for Moonee Valley.
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