By Lachlan Ellis<\/p>\n
Almost 100 Blackwood locals have met at the town\u2019s entry sign to protest draft plans for new signage, urging Council to keep the current sign.<\/p>\n
Ninety-five residents (and eight dogs) met at the Welcome to Blackwood sign, affectionately known as \u2018Wombie\u2019, on Sunday 6 November, to protest the \u2018Draft Moorabool Shire Gateways Strategy\u2019.<\/p>\n
Blackwood local Sue Donnelly organised the meetings and said Wombie had become an integral part of the community that should be retained.<\/p>\n
Within the Blackwood portion of the document is the wording \u201cRetain sign until decision to remove is agreed. When removed, there is no need to replace with any new sign as sign 4 serves the same purpose\u201d, sign 4 being a grey \u2018Type B\u2019 sign.<\/p>\n
Ms Donnelly, and many within the Blackwood community, believe the new design wouldn\u2019t represent Blackwood in the way Wombie does.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t quite understand why they would want to remove the entrance signs. Certainly, Blackwood\u2019s wombat is valued by young and old. We had lots of people attend with about three days\u2019 notice, from babies in prams to 90+ year olds. People went to great effort to get there, and we had 30 or 40 messages of support from people who couldn\u2019t be there,\u201d Ms Donnelly told the Moorabool News.<\/p>\n
\u201cWombie is sort of synonymous with Blackwood\u2026a lot of community organisations and some businesses use a wombat as their symbol. It was a big rush getting the event organised, but I was pleased with the response. Wombie is a real personality in town, he\u2019s been dressed for the Bushdance, and had a mask on for COVID, at Christmas he wears as Santa hat\u2026so he\u2019s really been adopted by the town.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Donnelly also argued that signs such as Greendale\u2019s kangaroo sign, Gordon\u2019s wedge-tailed eagle sign, and Bacchus Marsh\u2019s wine and strawberry sign were unique and symbolised their towns, and shouldn\u2019t be replaced.<\/p>\n
The Draft Moorabool Shire Gateways Strategy closed for feedback on 31 October, but you can still view it at moorabool.engagementhub.com.au\/gateways.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Lachlan Ellis Almost 100 Blackwood locals have met at the town\u2019s entry sign to protest draft plans for new signage, urging Council to keep the current sign. Ninety-five residents (and eight dogs) met at the Welcome to Blackwood sign, affectionately known as \u2018Wombie\u2019, on Sunday 6 November, to protest the \u2018Draft Moorabool Shire Gateways […]<\/p>\n