Friends of Nillumbik

Contact Us

To contact Friends of Nillumbik please email us at mail@friendsofnillumbik.org or contact us on our Facebook page. You can mail FoN at Friends of Nillumbik Inc., PO Box 258, Eltham 3095.

Our Vision

Our vision for the Shire of Nillumbik is a Shire which:

• uses sound environmental principles to create a diversity of townships with appropriate and sensitive development
• works with the State government to support an environmentally sustainable population level
• fosters an empowered and aware community that is able to take action on social, planning and environmental issues
• works with the community to achieve common goals

Our Structure

Friends of Nillumbik comprises an elected, volunteer committee  which does the day-to-day work of the organization and about 1,000 supporters who help the group achieve its aims.

Committee members stay abreast of relevant issues, attend Council meetings, write submissions, lobby councillors and politicians, attend community events and support residents on key issues.

Committee members are elected at an annual general meeting and then attend monthly Friends of Nillumbik meetings.

From time to time FoN liaises with a diverse range of community groups on appropriate issues.

If you would like to become a FoN supporter or learn more about what we do, please read the document below.

Our roots - How did Friends of Nillumbik come about?

Our organisation began as a response to the 2002 Nillumbik Council Election when only one winning Councillor had genuinely stood on a platform of environmental and social concerns. There were nine councillors in Nillumbik then and the other eight were, to a greater or lesser degree, very pro-development.

A community meeting was called and about 30 people attended. A Committee was formed which resolved to support candidates, in the next election of 2004, who stood on a platform of environmental, social and neighbourhood character concerns pertinent to Nillumbik. We were highly successful, having 7 out of 9 Councillors elected.

We continue this tradition and once elected, Councillors are deemed to be completely independent of Friends of Nillumbik; we maintain our distance from them whilst being on cordial terms. Of course, FoN's agenda is set by our membership, not by sitting Councillors.

We are proud of our history and the work we have done in our community over two decades.

What are Friends of Nillumbik’s purposes?

Friends of Nillumbik Inc will work to support and promote the environmental and landscape values, neighbourhood character, orderly planning and good governance of the Shire of Nillumbik.

In pursuit of the above and where resources allow, we:

• Support at our discretion, council candidates at local elections who will further the values, character, planning and governance of the Shire in accordance with our statement of purposes.
• Consider the appropriateness of planning applications including support for residents seeking to protect neighborhood character.
• Promote the importance of sustainable development, energy efficiency and renewable energy use, as appropriate responses to the problem of climate change.
• Participate in VCAT hearings.
• Make public interest submissions at the local and state level on strategic planning including Melbourne –wide planning, Nillumbik township planning, and green wedge planning.
• Support appropriate management of public land.
• Support recreation and tourism facilities appropriate for Nillumbik’s special urban and rural character.
• Participate in Nillumbik festivals.
• Provide regular bulletins to our supporters.
• Lobby other levels of government.
• Monitor our local council including submitting on the council plan and budget where appropriate”.

Donations always welcome

Send your donation to.....

• Friends of Nillumbik