Our Community

Community Strategic Plan

The Springthorpe Community Strategic Plan is a shared framework: community-informed, aspirational in nature, and intended to guide priorities and conversation over time. It is not a binding program of works, and endorsing it creates no automatic Owners Corporation commitment or expenditure.

At the 2026 AGM, residents endorsed the plan as a living document: one that identifies possible priorities, supports both community and OC initiatives, and will be reviewed and refined as circumstances, experience, and community input evolve. The plan does not override the Committee’s responsibility to assess feasibility, budget, and legal authority before acting on any initiative.

The OC’s Legal Foundation

The Owners Corporation operates within a clear legal framework. Understanding this is essential to understanding how the Strategic Plan relates to what the OC can and must do.

Statutory functions of the Owners Corporation include managing and maintaining common property, administering the OC, enforcing the Rules, and collecting levies to fund those activities. The OC also holds statutory powers, including the power to make Rules within the framework of the Owners Corporations Act 2006.

In performing its functions, the Owners Corporation and its Committee are expected to:

Act within the Law

Operate within the Owners Corporations Act 2006, the Rules, and the OC’s functions and powers.

Act with Integrity

Act honestly, in good faith, and with due care and diligence.

Spend with Authority

Approve expenditure and commitments separately, lawfully, and within budget authority.

Report Openly

Report transparently and keep residents informed.

Rules Serve the Community

An OC’s Rules may legitimately reflect aspects of the character and needs of the OC.

Rules Must Be Valid and Enforceable

The OC will apply only those Rules that are valid, registered, and enforceable under the Act and consistent with current case law.

(These expectations derive from the Owners Corporations Act 2006, general law, and VCAT jurisprudence.)

Each goal area reflects the kinds of activities the OC can legitimately plan and budget for, or facilitate in partnership with residents and external stakeholders such as Darebin Council and La Trobe University.

Important: Any initiative arising from this plan that involves OC expenditure or a formal commitment will be clearly identified and presented to the Committee or a General Meeting for consideration and approval before any action is taken.

A Four-Step Framework for Planning and Accountability

The plan operates through a structured annual cycle, moving from community input through to delivery and transparent reporting. This cycle ensures that aspirational goals translate into accountable actions, with residents informed at every stage.

Strategic Planning

Community-informed framework reflecting shared priorities. Not automatic OC commitments, but a guide for focus and discussion.

Annual Work Plan

Strategy converted to specific proposed actions, assessed for feasibility, cost, legal authority (including compliance with the Owners Corporations Act 2006 and current Rules), and priority before proceeding.

Implementation

Approved actions delivered within budget and authority. Progress, risk, and compliance monitored throughout.

Annual Report

Progress reported against Strategic Plan goals. Financial summary provided. Outcomes, lessons, and next steps shared with residents.

The Annual Work Plan is the critical filter between aspiration and action. It assesses what should proceed, be deferred, or not proceed, and identifies items requiring separate approval or budget authority.

Five Strategic Goal Areas

The plan identifies five goal areas that reflect the shared priorities of Springthorpe residents. These represent where the community wants to focus attention and effort: through the OC where it has core statutory functions, and through resident-led working groups where community activation is the better mechanism.

Community working groups are the primary vehicle for non-core activities. The OC’s role is to establish these groups, provide administrative support, connect them with external stakeholders, give their findings a formal voice at OC meetings, and report on their activities at each AGM. The group leads. The OC enables.

Goal Area 1

Common Property and Shared Assets

Maintain and improve Springthorpe’s shared facilities, and encourage their use, so they remain safe, functional, attractive, and accessible.

Possible Country Club Improvements Over Time

OC Function

Playground refurbishment
Kitchen upgrade
Main hall and reception upgrade
Multi-purpose room extension

Access and Participation

OC Function

Encourage broader use of shared facilities, including the Country Club

Social & Activities Working Group

Plan and coordinate programs and activities across ages and interests, with the OC providing venue access and promoting participation through its communications channels

Asset Management

OC Function

Maintain safe and attractive common property
Plan capital works transparently and collaboratively with residents
Apply proactive safety and risk management practices (e.g. tree safety assessments, safety audits)

Goal Area 2

Design Quality, Amenity, and Appearance

Maintain Springthorpe’s architectural character and landscape setting through clear, fair, and sustainable design standards that remain relevant as needs, technologies, and design approaches change.

Design Rules and ARC Administration

OC Function

Maintain valid, registered Design Rules that comply with the Owners Corporations Act 2006, reviewing and updating them as needed. Design guidance that is not part of the OC’s registered Rules may inform community expectations but does not create enforceable obligations on lot owners.
Operate a compliant ARC, appointed by the Committee from among lot owners and their nominated proxies, in accordance with the committee and subcommittee provisions of the Act
Apply fair and consistent processes for design guidance, approvals, and dispute resolution

Estate Character and Amenity

Estate Character Working Group

Engage residents in developing design guidance that reflects Springthorpe’s character, with the understanding that community preferences can only be formalised through properly registered Rules
Promote sustainable design choices (solar, native planting, water-wise design) through information-sharing and community events, with the OC providing the communications platform
Advocate to Darebin Council for public realm and streetscape improvements beyond OC common property
Support the Village Hub as Springthorpe’s social centre through programming and activation, with the OC providing the venue and administrative support

The ability of Owners Corporations to enforce design standards has been progressively clarified through legislation and VCAT decisions. Rules must have a direct and substantial connection to common property management or the external appearance of lots, and Rules that go beyond this are at risk of being found invalid or unenforceable. Only Rules that are registered at the Land Titles Office can be enforced by the OC. Owners Corporations cannot enforce building codes, planning permits, or local government planning schemes; those responsibilities rest with the relevant authorities. The OC has no power to impose financial penalties on lot owners for design matters. Lot owners who disagree with a decision of the OC or its committees retain the right to seek review under the Act. Design aspirations that exceed what Rules can lawfully require are best pursued through community engagement and advocacy rather than OC enforcement.

Goal Area 3

Community Life, Participation, and Safety

Support a safe, inclusive, and connected community through active participation and open communication.

Community Participation and Engagement

OC Function

Provide newsletters and digital updates
Develop and maintain a clear, accessible website
Provide accessible channels for resident feedback
Prepare a plain-English guide to what the OC does
Support early and fair conflict resolution and mediation

Events Working Group

Plan and deliver inclusive, multigenerational events (e.g. music, food, family gatherings), with the OC providing venue access, promoting through its channels, and receiving activity reports at each AGM

Recreation and Public Space

Recreation Working Group

Lead liaison with Darebin Council regarding potential oval upgrades (playground, netball, basketball, fitness stations), with the OC providing formal endorsement and advocacy

Safety and Risk Management

Community Safety Working Group

Lead engagement with Darebin Council on road safety, traffic management, pedestrian and cycling links, and parking
Lead engagement with Fire Rescue Victoria, Parks Victoria, Darebin Council, and La Trobe University on fire and flood risk matters
Lead resident crime prevention initiatives in liaison with Victoria Police
The OC provides admin support, facilitates external connections, and formally endorses the group’s representations

Heritage Project

Community-led Initiative

Resident and community-led initiative for a heritage trail (including potential First Nations–themed elements) in partnership with La Trobe University, where initiatives relate to common property or community use of common property, with the OC facilitating connections and providing formal support where appropriate

Goal Area 4

Environment, Sustainability, and Cost Savings

Support the protection and enhancement of the natural environment on and adjacent to common property, promote sustainable practices, and collaborate with stakeholders where this aligns with the OC’s functions.

Environment and Biodiversity

OC Function

Support the protection of biodiversity corridors on or adjacent to common property through liaison with Darebin Council and relevant authorities
Liaise with Darebin Council regarding wetlands, tree planting, shade, and large-tree risk management on common property
Encourage Council consultation with residents before significant works affecting the estate

Sustainable Living and Community Cost Savings

Sustainability Working Group

Promote solar, batteries, and water-wise design through community information sessions and shared resources, with the OC providing the communications platform
Investigate and coordinate voluntary bulk purchasing options for lot owners (electricity, water, gas), with the OC endorsing and communicating outcomes (any schemes remain voluntary and involve no OC expenditure or compulsion)

Landscaping and Grounds

OC Function

Implement Landscape Architect Report (2014) recommendations relating specifically to OC common property, including tree planting, maintenance, and risk management of trees on OC-managed land

Environment Working Group

Advocate to Darebin Council for implementation of public realm recommendations from the 2014 Report, including street-tree audit on Council land, oval improvements, and potential community garden on public or Council land
The OC provides formal endorsement of the group’s representations to Council

The Cascades

OC Function

Liaise with Darebin Council to secure the future of the Cascades as an iconic wetland and enhance ecological health

Friends of the Cascades

Lead planting programs and habitat diversity initiatives, with the OC providing admin support, facilitating Council liaison, and reporting on group activities at each AGM
Resident-led group established with OC facilitation to champion the Cascades’ long-term ecological health

Goal Area 5

Good Governance and Financial Management

Build trust and deliver outcomes through transparent and collaborative governance, sound finances, and clear communication and engagement with residents.

Governance

Committee Charter and training (including training on the limits of OC powers under the Owners Corporations Act 2006) and induction for Committee members
Annual Work Plan and Calendar available to the community
Goal-focused meeting agendas and updated OC Rules
Undertake a comprehensive review of the OC’s registered Rules to ensure they are current, enforceable, and consistent with the Act and relevant case law
Annual reporting against Strategic Goal Areas, including working group activities
Declaration and management of conflicts of interest and conflicts of duty
Establish and support Community Working Groups as a formal governance mechanism, providing administrative support, meeting facilitation, communications channels, and a voice at OC meetings and with external partners. Working groups lead non-core initiatives. The OC enables.

Financial Management

Simplified and visually clear annual financial summaries
Align goals, priorities, budgets, and the Annual Work Plan
Circulate a draft budget for community input prior to each AGM

Partnerships and External Engagement

OC Function

Maintain formal correspondence with Darebin Council on matters directly affecting OC common property and administration, including planning applications, infrastructure, road access, and tree or utility management affecting the estate
Seek alignment with Council’s planning and budget cycles on common property matters specifically
Participate in state-wide Owners Corporation networks for governance knowledge-sharing and Act compliance updates

Community Working Groups

Community working groups (Cascades, Heritage, Recreation, Safety, Sustainability, Estate Character) are the primary interface with Darebin Council and La Trobe University on non-core community matters
The OC formally endorses working group representations to Council, La Trobe, and other external bodies, and receives their reports at OC meetings
La Trobe’s proximity is a community asset best activated through working groups such as Heritage and Friends of the Cascades. Research partnerships, volunteer programs, and community projects are developed at that level, with the OC facilitating introductions and providing formal endorsement

Governance is not only what the OC Committee does, but also how we work together as a community and with partner organisations.

What the Plan Is, and What It Is Not

The Strategic Plan is a guide, not a guarantee. Endorsing it at the AGM does not create any power, authority, or commitment beyond what the Owners Corporations Act 2006 and the OC’s Rules already provide. Every initiative remains subject to the Committee’s assessment of feasibility, cost, risk, and legal authority, with any expenditure or formal commitment requiring separate approval.

The plan is intentionally broad within the legal limits of the Act, including initiatives relating to design standards and the ARC, which remain subject to the limitations of the Owners Corporations Act 2006 as interpreted through VCAT decisions and current legal practice. Nothing in this plan limits the rights of lot owners under the Act, including the right to seek review of OC decisions. The plan will be reviewed and refined over time, updated to reflect practical experience, changing circumstances, and ongoing resident input. Progress will be reported at each AGM.

Your Involvement Makes This Work

The Strategic Plan is community-informed, which means it only works if residents stay engaged. The Committee cannot identify all priorities, lead all initiatives, or maintain community cohesion on its own. Many of the goals in this plan depend on residents stepping up.

Attend AGMs and forums

Your voice shapes what gets prioritised in the Annual Work Plan.

Join a working group

The Committee actively welcomes resident participation and new ideas.

Lead community initiatives

Events, sustainability projects, heritage trails, and the Cascades all benefit from resident champions.

Give feedback

Use the portal, contact the Committee, or speak at meetings.

Stay informed

Read Annual Reports and Work Plan updates when published.

This plan belongs to the whole Springthorpe community.

A Living Document

The Strategic Plan evolves through practical experience, Annual Work Plans, governance review, changing circumstances, and ongoing resident input. It is not a fixed document. It will be updated to reflect what works, what does not, and what matters most to the community at any given time.

Progress against the plan’s goals will be reported at each AGM, giving residents a regular, structured opportunity to assess whether the community’s priorities are being reflected in the OC’s work, and to call for changes where they are not.

The full Springthorpe Community Strategic Plan is available as a PDF document from the Resident Information section of this portal.