On Saturday 27 August the Latrobe Valley Authority co-ordinated a community engagement event at the Australian Netball Championships held at Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium (GRISS) in Traralgon.
The championships, from August 22-28, were hosted by Latrobe City Council in partnership with Collingwood Magpies and sponsored by the Latrobe Valley Authority.
Ten teams fought it out from state and territory member organisations and Suncorp Super Netball League clubs.
With netball being the most popular women's sport in Australia, the championships provided a fantastic opportunity to see elite female athletes in action, as well as showcase to visiting teams and fans the state-of-the-art facilities at the stadium which received a $19 million upgrade in 2020, funded by the Victorian Government.
"Taking time to engage the community at the netball on the strengths and challenges for Gippsland both now into the future provided rich insights into what people really love about the region, whether they are locals or visitors", said Jules Cole, Director Stakeholder Engagement, LVA.
"It is clear from the feedback that people really appreciate Gippsland’s natural beauty and open spaces – whether it be our beaches, farmland, mountains or bushland."
Other strengths identified include community resilience, connection to community, the sense of pride in the region’s identity and the friendly people that live and work in the region.
Key themes for challenges included jobs, the environment, climate change, tourism accommodation, transport, housing, plus more educational and social opportunities for young people to stay in Gippsland.
“The voice of girls and young women really shone through, and it is inspiring to hear firsthand their ideas about what we need to do to take care of our communities and protect their future” said Jules.
The Latrobe Valley Authority is leading the development of a transition plan for the region, and will be in the community, actively listening to as many people as possible to understand what matters to them.
Feedback from engagement activities such as at the Australian Netball Championships will be used to shape the transition plan.
If you would like to talk to someone in the Latrobe Valley Authority about the transition plan or arrange a meeting with your organisation or community group, please contact us via the details below.
Email: contact@lva.vic.gov.au
Phone: 1800 136 762
Website: lva.vic.gov.au/transition/plan
Below: Latrobe Valley Authority staff member Lenice Gaunt at the Australian Netball Championships in Traralgon, hearing first hand the ideas from young people about the strengths and challenges for Gippsland.
