Bingara and District Vision
Our Future
Vision 2020 is a group of passionate community members. It was formed in 2005 to represent the interests of the communities of Bingara and its surrounding district.
It has always looked to the future and seeks to define and then act on strategies so that we may prosper in a changing environment. It is a place to voice ideas, coordinate action, support external funding applications and to liaise with local government, local businesses and community groups. It combines the roles of a progress association, a Chamber of Commerce, a think tank and a lobby group.
Membership is open to everyone – thinkers, doers, helpers, supporters and critics.
Vision 2020 has now facilitated the production of two vision documents. In 2005/6 the town and district communities started on a journey to create a vision for the future to 2020. This journey involved the whole community, and the ideas which formed the “Regeneration” document were generated entirely from within the community.
Regeneration
Original Vision document extract…
A Vision is sometimes associated with something unreal or imaginary, a creation of fancy. However, in this case its definition is “To Dream”. We cannot know or predict the future with any certainty, but we can work towards creating the future that we “want”.
The Bingara and District Community chose to become recognised as a national leader in Regenerative living. Regeneration is a way of life and continues to be fundamental to all our decisions.
We do not just sustain our resource base – we continue to improve and to grow. Our people are healthier, happier and better educated, our environment is pristine, our buildings and community infrastructure are well designed and energy and water efficient, our agriculture has healthy soils and “treads lightly on the land”.
Our Journey to 2030
In 2015 we paused to evaluate the success of our communities in the previous 10 years. Our achievements have been amazing, as the Our Future is a Journey article which appeared in the Bingara Advocate attests.
Vision 2020 had also been very active in facilitating opposition to the NSW Governments plans to amalgamate Gwydir Shire Council. This had a unifying effect on the Shire.
Vision 2020 decided to revisit the vision process, this time on behalf of the whole shire. Two years of extensive community consultation which included the Gwydir “Summit”, shopfront engagement in both Bingara and Warialda and community leadership training resulted in the Wider Gwydir vision.
Bingara and district, and now Wider Gwydir are one of the very few communities in Australia to have undertaken this process – to determine the future that we want, rather than to have our future determined by others. The result is clear in our achievements, and in the general positivity and prosperity of our communities.
The pathway is now formed for a successful journey towards 2030.
Meetings
General meetings, open to everyone are held on the first Wednesday of every month, in the meeting room of the Imperial Hotel. From time to time we will organise guest speakers, and these meetings will be advertised.
Membership
Membership is open to everyone. Annual cost:
- Individuals – $20 inc GST
- Family – $30 inc GST
- Small business (less than 5 employees) – $110 inc GST
- Large business – $220 inc GST
- Community group – $20 inc GST
President:
Garry McDouall | Ph: 0428 834 281 | Email: mcdouallg@bigpond.com
Vice President: (Shared responsibilities)
Meagan Stamer / John Bishton | Ph: 0458 549 774 | Email: megs.bingara@gmail.com and Email: bishton@cfresh.com.au
Secretary:
Vivian Iriarte | Ph: 0423 559 506 | Email: Learn2sellbcs@gmail.com
Treasurer:
Rosemary Asher | Ph: 0421 072 264 | Email: gesticulateswildly@gmail.com
Committee:
Gwydir Shire Council Representative:
Catherine Egan | Ph: 0447 241 484 | Email: cegan@gwydir.nsw.gov.au
