Sorry that it has been some time between posts on this site. The Owners Corporation Committee and Managers have certainly been busy over the past months and there is a lot going on around the estate.

New home builds are crazy at the moment as we see the new stages of the development filling up rapidly and we look forward to welcoming many new residents and owners in coming months. The Covid Pandemic has certainly had an impact on the real estate market and we see new blocks now selling very quickly and a scramble for new developments throughout the entire Shire.

We have recently confirmed our order for exercise equipment from Moira Shire Council to be installed in Robinson Park and in the new park in Peter Thompson Circuit. We have also placed a request for 2 more exercise stations and playground equipment for Peter Thompson Park in next years Council Budget. If successful, the intent is to build an exercise circuit right around the estate to encourage residents to exercise and explore this amazing place. In addition, the installation of more seating in the pocket parks along the lake and in Melrose Park is imminent as are a couple of doggy stations.

A constant source of frustration with the Committee, is the continued lack of understanding of the Design Guidelines and the need for approval from the Design Review Committee, for landscaping and construction post initial build. Clearly, we should all understand that approval must be sought for initial building plans and landscaping, but it is also critical that, before taking any steps to add to the original build, that approval is sought from the DRC, not just from Moira Shire if needed. We currently have a number of issues around the estate in regard to structures not approved by the DRC, which have impacts on or potential to impact on neighbors. This could be avoided with consultation with neighbors firstly and then agreed proposal submitted to the DRC for approval.

We had hoped to hold a Community get together in the first half of the year, but this has been difficult to organise for various reasons. As we are now moving toward the end of the financial year, it makes sense now to leave this event until the AGM which we will hold at The Sebel, hopefully in late August or early September.

As the estate grows, the need for interested and active Committee members gets greater. If you would like to have a say in what happens around the estate and have an impact on what the place looks like and offers to residents and visitors, please consider nominating for the Committee. We really need good people with a little time and lots of enthusiasm, to drive the Committee going forward and make Silverwoods the best it can be.

I hope you all have a lovely Easter whatever you are doing. I know Yarrawonga will be frantic as it always is on Holiday weekends, but it is no shock to me that people just want to be in Sun Country on the Murray for all it has to offer.

Wayne

After a delay due to Covid 19 restrictions and our hope that the gathering limits would increase, the AGM of Silverwoods Owners Corporation was held on Thursday 12th November by Zoom. Thanks go to Emma and the crew at MBCM for setting up the Zoom link and also establishing a polling system to allow for those online to vote on the various resolutions during the meeting.

Unfortunately, due to the limited number of attendees, a chorum was not achieved which means that the minutes will be distributed in draft form and ask for any comments or objections to be lodged. Provided there are no objections, the minutes will then be confirmed and the resolutions will be deemed to be approved by the owners and activated. All owners received the agenda and attached reports and so had sufficient time to react to the motions and to the reports and to ask any questions by email or phone prior to the meeting. I would expect that the minutes will be adopted as taken and will then be published.

In an attempt to keep the OC fees under control, the Administration Levy was kept at $12- per lot liability per annum. An increase from $2.50 to $3.50 per lot liability to the Maintenance Fund, was recommended and accepted by all present. This increase is required to steadily build the Maintenance Fund to meet our potential long term liabilities as identified in the 10 year maintenance plan presented last year.

9 nominations for the committee were received prior to the meeting. As the number of nominations did not exceed the maximum allowable, a resolution was passed to confirm all nominees as members of the OC Committee for the remainder of the year until the next AGM. Those nominated were Wayne Limbrick, Andrew Beggs, Richard Franklin, Rita Wilson, Daniel Smith, Rebecca Russell, Enid Mason, Sherrill Sayers, Peter Moore. We welcome Peter as a new member of the Committee and also thank Donna Hancock and Jim McGuiness who did not seek re-election, for their contribution to the committee. A Chairman will be elected from the above members at the first meeting of the committee.

It is fantastic to see so much building activity and we welcome all the new owners to Silverwoods and look forward to meeting with you all over the coming months. It is hoped that we will hold a residents forum of some kind as soon as it is possible under the Covid 19 gathering restrictions. This will give a chance for mix and mingle and also an opportunity for the community to ask questions of the committee or the developer. We would normally have a chance to gather for Christmas get together, however, again due to Covid 19, it has been decided that organisation of an event when we dont know what the rules will be, is extremely difficult so we have decided not to hold a function this year. Fingers crossed that we will be back to normal next year.

On behalf of the Owners Corporation, I wish all our owners and potential owners, families and friends a wonderful Christmas and hope that you can all catch up with your families wherever they may be for some quality time after such a difficult year. We look forward to seeing you all back to normal in 2021.

After such a long wait, the Sebel Yarrawonga opened to customers on Melbourne Cup Weekend with the official soft opening on Sunday 1st November. The facilities are simply stunning and a credit to the commitment of Lotus to fulfill their commitment to complete the major infrastructure.

The lake front walking track from Botts Road all the way around the Sebel is now open and receiving a lot of use from interested locals and visitors.

The Owners Corporation welcome the opening of Sebel and hope that residents support the facilities and enjoy all that they have to offer. A reminder though, that Covid 19 restrictions still exist and bookings in the restaurant are still required.

It has been some time since our last update and I apologise for that. There has been a lot going on around the estate and as you will all be aware, the past 6 months has been a nightmare for us all with the impact of Covid 19 and associated restrictions.Since our last report, we have seen a significant number of new homes under construction and completed all around the estate and significant new development by Lotus in stages 7a, 7b, 8 and 11a. Sales have been strong and we are witnessing the construction of a substantial display village in and around 7a in addition to the Metricon Display in Phillip Hyland Drive. I welcome all our new owners on behalf of the Owners Corporation and hope that you find Silverwoods as livable as we do.

I would like to acknowledge the work of Lotus in getting the Sebel Resort completed and ready to open as soon as this crazy virus allows. The resort was originally set to open in May, but due to travel restrictions, now not likely to open before November. Anyone who has been around or inside the building will, I am sure, be blown away by the beauty of the building and the surrounds. It certainly makes a statement on the foreshore of the lake and will be the Jewel in the Crown of our estate. We certainly look forward to being able to enjoy the facilities as soon as it can be opened.

I also congratulate Lotus, McCully Golf and Turnpoint for maintaining the golf course in amazing condition and going over and beyond to get people back on the course as soon as it was possible and managing the frantic pace and restrictions since. Lets hope we can get back to some normal conditions soon to take off all the additional pressures.

Thanks goes to Moira Shire Council for its ongoing commitment to our facilities plan for Parks and Gardens within Silverwoods. Over the past 3 years we have seen the installation of the large playground in Robinson Park, seats located around Silverwoods Blvd and Robinson Way for our walkers, shade sale over the playground and our new swings etc in Hyland Park. There has also been an installation of exercise stations in Melrose Park. Over coming months, there will also be some additional seats provided in parks and around the walking circuit. We hope to secure funding in the current rate year for more seats including along the waterfront and additional equipment in some of the pocket parks.

You may notice my reference to parks by name above. At our most recent Committee meeting, it was agreed that we would name the major parks within the estate. After some discussion and options, we have settled on naming them in accordance with the streets adjacent to keep it simple. Consequently, we will now refer to them as Hyland Park, the park on Phillip Hyland Drive and Coco Crescent, Robinson Park for the park on the corner of Robinson Way and Freddie Court, Melrose Park for the park on Melrose Drive and Park Lane, Doongara Park on cnr of Doongara Street and Robinson Way, Adoni Green will remain unchanged. We will soon see new parks in stage 7b and will be named Thomson Park and Fairway Park.

The Committee agreed at its meeting in June, to reinstall its Garden Sub Committee to oversee the maintenance and development of our parks and gardens. This committee currently Chaired by Donna Hancock, includes Committee Members Edith Mason and Rita Wilson. We will be seeking volunteers from our residents to also join this committee which will act as an advisory group to the Owners Corporation. The committee has already made progress on works to be done on grass area in Hyland Park together with landscaping in the same park to compliment the new playground. It will also look at compliance with landscaping guidelines on lots etc. We ask that all owners be aware of the planting and design restrictions in the Design Guidelines and the need to have Garden and Landscape plans approved by the Design Architect prior to commencement.

I remind all owners of vacant lots that they must maintain them in a neat and tidy state so as not to make the estate look unkempt. We understand that some will not be able to attend personally to mow due to restrictions, but remind those owners that they can authorise the Committee to have our contractor mow and spray for them by contacting MBCM.

The Annual General Meeting would normally be held in late August or early September. With the current Covid 19 restrictions around gathering numbers and social distancing, we have decided to postpone the meeting at this stage. We will review the matter at our October meeting when we will be more clear on restrictions going forward, however it is acknowledged that, holding a normal AGM is highly unlikely. We will look at viable options to a public meeting while ensuring that all owners have an opportunity to participate as much as is possible. I can assure you that the current committee are committed to continuing our role until such time as the meeting can be held. We have adopted a budget in principal to follow in the interim and ensured that insurances and other compliance matters are dealt with in a timely manner.

On behalf of the Committee, I hope that you all manage to stay safe and Covid free. In particular, our thoughts are with our Melbourne owners who are subject to Stage 4 restrictions and clearly a much higher threat than we are.

If anyone has any queries or issues they wish to raise with the Committee, please do not hesitate to send your request to MBCM who will pass on to the committee for attention.

Sincerely

Wayne Limbrick

Chairman

Sebel and Infinity Pool

Another couple of challenging months as we attempt to get on top of residual maintenance issues around the estate. There has been a significant improvement in compliance with keeping Rubbish Bins out of site and I thank everyone for their assistance. It certainly makes the Estate look a lot more presentable.

At our meeting last week, we discussed the ongoing issue of people and builders dumping things on vacant lots. Over the past couple of years, the Committee has had to arrange for removal of rubbish from lots after complaints by Owners that it was not theirs. Where we have been unable to identify where the rubbish has come from, we have acted to remove it. We resolved on Tuesday to advise all vacant lot owners to let us know if there is rubbish on their lot which is not theirs. The Committee will clear it up once and then no further removal will be done by the Owners Corporation. Individual lot Owners have been given permission to erect professional builders temporary fencing at the front of their lots to restrict access and further dumping. All owners are reminded that they should keep all their rubbish on their own lot and not place any items on the adjoining vacant lots without the permission of the Owner.

It is great to see the progress in Stage 7a, Stage 11 and the Sebel. The Resort is starting to impose itself on the lake frontage and will be an Iconic addition to Silverwoods Estate and Lake Mulwala. We are told that sales of blocks and of the Apartments in The Sebel are strong and that is good for everyone. We all know that property in the Cities is going through a tough time, but so far not having a major impact on our local market. We have also seen a number of sales within the estate over the past few months as priorities and lives change and that is also a good sign.

The completion of the Boardwalks and the path along the lack is also a major milestone for the Estate and really finishes off that area. The Boardwalks will allow for locals to more their crafts during the day as they come and go which is a great result for our owners and residents who spend time on the water.

The Owners Corporation has been advised by Council that a Shade Sail will be erected over the playground in Freddie Court shortly. This was subject to a grant application by the Committee and fully funded by Moira Shire Council with a cost of approximately $22000-. A rubbish bin has been installed near the playground and will be collected twice a week by Council. They have also installed Doggy Poo Bag dispenser at the entry from Botts Road and appropriate signage. In addition, there will be some exercise stations installed in the Park on Robinson Way in the vacinity of Park Lane, also fully funded by Moira Shire.

The Golf Course in in amazing condition and we congratulate Turnpoint and McCully Golf for all the hard work they do. The Golf Course is the centerpiece of our Estate and it is pleasing to hear so many positive comments from visitors about how good the course is.

A reminder that the Annual General Meeting will be held at Club Mulwala on Thursday 5th September, commencing at 6.00pm. The Agenda and associated information will be distributed prior, in accordance with the Owners Corporation Act. The Committee work hard to try to maintain the standards and livability of the Estate and we welcome any new members who would like to nominate for the Committee. Nomination Forms will be included with the Agenda.

There has been a lot happening over the past few months as we continue to deal with residual issues in regard to footpaths, curb and channel, park maintenance, reconstruction of Silverwoods Boulevard, compliance issues and future planning.

It is an exciting time for Silverwoods and its Residents, with lots of building going on, new stages being released and the Sebel Development well and truly underway. All this activity comes with some downside, not the least is the amount of traffic, deliveries, trucks etc. The Committee have recently written to builders operating in the estate, asking that they be mindful of retaining all of their waste within the lot being built on. We have had constant issues with builders rubbish being blown around the estate and also with building materials and waste being placed and left on adjoining lots and this simply is not good enough. If anyone witnesses any such behavior, please report it to MBCM so that we can follow up.

A couple of months ago, there was a Post Card of sorts distributed around the estate. While the Committee does not necessarily disagree with some of the content, it was not printed or delivered by the Owners Corporation and we had nothing to do with it. We have had numerous complaints about the waste of money etc. but I assure you all, that it was not paid for or initiated by the committee.

The reconstruction of Silverwoods Boulevard has now been completed and looking much neater than before. There was extensive debate on appropriate plantings to try to minimise ongoing maintenance and we hope that the final product achieves what was needed to establish a feature entry to the estate.

The walking track along the lake is now completed and looking fantastic. There will be some more bollards installed and signage in regard to appropriate use installed in coming weeks. It is a walking path and not a vehicle path so please enjoy but observe instructions.

We are currently in discussion with Council in regard to installation of exercise equipment in the park in Robinson Way in the vacinity of Park Lane. There will be a number of stations installed with easy access from the lake and walking path. This equipment will be paid for by Council and installed shortly. We are still hoping to receive funding for playground equipment for the park in Phillip Hyland Drive and for a Shade Sail over the equipment in the park near Freddy Court. There will be rubbish and recycling bins installed in that park shortly also.

Considerable work has been done on the footpaths within the estate. Many joins have been ground down to avoid tripping and we have replaced numerous sheets of concrete. There are still sheets which ultimately will need to be replaced but they are adjacent to vacant lots and we will not do the repairs until the lots are built on for obvious reasons. We will however continue to monitor cracks etc to avoid causing any hazard.

The Over 50’s Lifestyle Resort has hit a snag. Gateway Lifestyle who were the owners and developers of the site, has been sold to an American company. At the moment, there is a review of their priorities for the assets they have purchased. It appears likely that the block will be sold. It is important to understand that there is an existing Planning Permit for the site and any purchaser wishing to develop the site, must do so in accordance with the existing plan or alternatively, must prepare and have approved, a new plan. We hope that the plan already approved will be the basis for future development, but will again be involved in any alternate plan should it get to that.

The issue of Improvement Notices, Breach Notices and Debt Collection Proceedings has continued over the past few months. While we acknowledge that these matters have created some angst, it is important to remember that compliance with the Design Guidelines, Silverwoods Masterplan and the Owners Corportation Rules, is critical to protecting the integrity and appearance of the estate. There were many issues of non-compliance and it is pleasing to note that there has been a significant improvement. We will continue to have the Owners Corporation Managers do monthly inspections to ensure we do not see a return to bad practices.

There were a large number of Owners who chose, for some reason, not to pay their Owners Corporation Fees. We all bought our properties knowing that these fees were payable, so there is no excuse for not doing so. We have had to initiate action at VCAT in regard to a number of long term defaults and will recover payment and costs through this action. This should not be necessary, however, we all need to pay our share and the expenses of the estate cannot be paid if the fees are not paid.

It is always pleasing to drive around the estate and to speak with owners and visitors who overwhelmingly comment on how good the estate looks. There will always be issues and it is not possible to deal with everything that needs to be done immediately, but the Committee and the Managers are working continually to ensure that the estate remains attractive and that Silverwoods is a great place to live.

Sincerely

Wayne Limbrick- Chairman Silverwoods Owners Corporation

The playground is now fully operational and by all accounts, getting lots of use which is fantastic. As there is quite a bit of fall in the park toward the drainage sump, the Western end was quite high so we have had Mark Haley install a garden bed around that end which has come up really well. This will discourage anyone from trying to exit the playground from that end, reducing the risk of a fall. due to the amount of fill, the actual pit on which the equipment is installed, is quite high. We will monitor issues around access for smaller children, disabled or carers and if needed, will install a ramp or steps. If anyone has a complaint or concern about access, please let us know so we can deal with it.
You should have all received your invitation to the Xmas get together by now. Emails have been sent out and we will do a letterbox drop over the weekend or early next week to ensure everyone knows what we have planned. The committee hopes we can get a good attendance. There are many new residents so a nice way to get to know each other.
There is a lot going on around the estate at the moment with the near completion of the waterfront landscaping. I think we will all agree it looks fantastic. The boardwalks are for foot traffic only so please, no golf carts or bikes on the boardwalks and bike riders on the path, please be careful and respect the walkers.
You will notice that many cracks have been repaired in the roadways in the past couple of weeks. As we are now clear on who is responsible for maintenance, we are working on getting roads and footpaths back into shape. There will be quite a bit of work on the concrete paths in coming weeks so please be careful. Much of the work is in Phillip Hyland Drive and Coco Crescent and we will try to limit inconvenience to residents but we need to get the work done.
We look forward to seeing as many owners and residents as possible at the get together on 9th December.

Wayne

I am frustrated to have to post this because it is all so negative and unnecessary.
We have such a beautiful estate to live in and enjoy, but there are owners and tenants in the estate who seem not to care about the appearance and livability of Silverwoods.
The committee has continuing issues with a large number of owners choosing not to pay their Owners Corporation Fees for some reason. This is frustrating and causes significant work for the Managers with the flow on being potentially higher Owners Corporation Fees for all of us. We ask that all owners please accept your responsibility and make payments as soon as possible. There will be breach notices issued for many of the arrears in coming days which will have a fee and we will then take action at VCAT for outstanding fees without further notice. All costs of this action will be levied against the owners.
We have also issued a number of breach notices for residents who refuse to put their rubbish bins behind the fence. It is a breach of the OC rules to leave the bins visible and they are an eyesore! We will not tolerate non-compliance and will continue to take action to keep the estate looking good.
There will also be a number of breach notices issued in the next few days in regard to vacant lot maintenance. We have corresponded on a number of occasions about the responsibility of owners to maintain their lots. Some have recently acted and some have asked the OC contractor to maintain the blocks but there are still around 40 lots who have not mowed or sprayed and not elected to do the maintenance as yet. We will again be continuing to pursue these owners to ensure that the blocks are kept clean and the costs will be levied against owners who choose not to comply.
From the Committee perspective, it is really frustrating that we have to spend significant time dealing with the above matters because individuals, who bought their lots knowing the responsibilities and guidelines, choose not to care about their neighbors. We do not want to be policemen, we would sooner be dealing with matters that will improve the estate and add value to our investments, the lack of thought from some is having the opposite effect.
We have also been having trouble with landscaping of individual lots. Under the design guidelines, all lots must have an approved landscaping plan. Originally, the building plans were not approved without a landscape plan but this has been relaxed over the past couple of years. The result has seen many owners not submit their landscape plan and simply go ahead and do it. The end result is that we have some serious breaches of the guidelines which requires the Committee to again act to rectify. This is not ideal as there is normally additional cost to modify non-compliant gardens which is worn by the owner. At our meeting yesterday, it was decided that no building approval will be given without a landscape plan. Any owner who has not had their landscaping approved, should act immediately to submit a plan to the Design Review Committee for approval. This must be done by February 28th, 2019 or breach notices will be issued requiring repair/removal of non compliant landscaping.

Wayne Limbrick

We now have a fabulous new playground in the Park on the corner of Robinson Way and Freddie Court. Thanks must go to Moira Shire for supplying and installing the equipment for our community. I am sure that it will be a very popular spot over the coming warmer months.
There is a little bit of landscaping to be done on the Western end to reduce the drop off from the playground. We will install a garden bed against the retaining wall to reduce the height and falls risk in the next couple of weeks.
The Parks Masterplan will continue to be pursued with Council with the next priority being for a table and chairs adjacent to the playground and a shadecover over the equipment. Hopefully we can get this funding in the current financial year. Over time, we hope to have smaller installations in the Park in Phillip Hyland Drive and also some exercise equipment in the pocket parks and will continue to pursue funding to complete the plan.

The AGM was held on 20th September and we had a fantastic turnout at Bourke’s Hotel. Apologies to those who attended for the crowded conditions, we are not sure why we were put into a smaller room and then the crowd exceeded expectations. We will make sure we have plenty of room for next year.

Thanks to Emma from MBCM for Chairing the meeting. It has been difficult for her taking over on 1st July and not receiving the information in a timely manner from Ross Hunt. MBCM have done a great job getting on top of the financials etc. We look forward to working closely with MBCM for the next 3 years of their contract.

I would like to welcome John Rowley from Gateway Lifestyle to our committee. Gateway will be making a significant investment at Silverwoods over the coming years. The development of the Lifestyle Village will be a great addition to the accommodation options at Silverwoods and bring with it a significant group of owner occupiers. There has been considerable talk about the contribution of Gateway to the Owners Corporation and I can assure you all that they are already paying OC fees based on 60 residential lots which was the liability attached to the land they have purchased when the subdivision was done originally. I am sure that John will bring much to the table as he is vastly experienced in property development and management and also has experience of Owners Corporation procedures.

I would also like to welcome Donna Hancock to the Committee. Donna is just moving into the estate and has taken an immediate decision to get involved in the Owners Corporation. She has experience in Corporate Administration and we look forward to her input. Our 2 new members join the current committee who have all renominated for the Committee. The Committee is now as follows:

Wayne Limbrick, Nick Ciavarella, Barry Shepherd, Ray Knights, Andrew Beggs, Richard Franklin, Daniel Smith, Dean Wells, John Rowley and Donna Hancock. We have called our first meeting for 23rd October and at that meeting will elect a Chairman and also deal with several matters which arose at the AGM together with ongoing business.

One of our major issues is the arrears of Owners Corporation Fees. This matter was severely neglected by Ross Hunt and we are just getting on top of it now. Reminders will be sent to all owners in the next week or so and failure to pay arrears or make arrangements to pay, will result in action being taken against the owners to recover the debt. All costs involved in this action will be paid by the owners. It is frustrating that we have to do this, but the funds outstanding are needed to meet our budget and allow us to run the estate for the benefit of all.

There is also an ongoing issue with the appearance of the estate with numerous complaints in regard to bins being left in the front of homes and the state of vacant blocks. We are in the process of taking action in regard to both. All vacant lot owners are reminded that they are required to keep their lot clean, mowed and sprayed. A letter to that effect has been sent to all lot owners in recent days and we will act if the lots are not cleaned up. We are also taking action issuing breach notices in regard to bins left at the front of properties. This has been an ongoing issue for 2 years and simply has to stop. It is a clear breach of the Owners Corporation Rules and brings down the appearance of the estate. If you are guilty of leaving your bins out other than on collection day, I suggest you act immediately to remove them or there will be financial consequences.

On a happier note, the new playground for the park in Robinson Way on the corner of Freddie Court has arrived and will be installed by the supplier, BIAM Playgrounds and Shade Sails together with Moira Shire in mid October. The playground and the installation are all paid for by Moira Shire and I am sure families in the estate will welcome this addition to the Silverwoods facilities. I do ask however, that all users consider the amenity of the estate and minimise the noise and also supervise the children to avoid injury and damage to the equipment.

I urge all owners and residents to be pro active in reporting damage or other issues around the estate. We have lots of trucks etc. still moving around the place and damage being caused to roads, footpaths, manholes etc. If anyone witnesses any incident, please record the details of the vehicle and the owner of possible and send to MBCM, This will allow us to pursue for the damage rather than the OC having to meet the cost which has happened on many occasions to date. The Committee are vigilant but we cannot be everywhere all the time. Time and dated photos would be helpful.

Your Committee look forward to another year of growth around the estate. We will see significant changes as the Sebel starts to take shape and will also see works begin on the Gateway Village. Infrastructure work will begin on stage 7 and the waterfront boardwalk will be completed as will associated foreshore landscaping. We hope that all residents are confident to raise issues at any time. The appropriate course is via MBCM who will deal with matters that they can and refer others to the Committee where necessary.

The minutes of the AGM will be posted on this site as soon as they are completed.

Wayne Limbrick-Chairman