Warrnambool City Council is developing the very first Strategic Framework Plan for Bushfield and Woodford, to be known as the Bushfield-Woodford Strategic Framework Plan.
The two small towns of Bushfield and Woodford are situated in very close proximity to each other stretching from the Hopkins Highway in the east towards Caramut Road in the west; and approximately three kilometres from the City of Warrnambool.
The adjacent settlements face further residential growth and wastewater management challenges. Council needs to address these challenges while also protecting the unique features of these small townships to ensure great futures and unique rural lifestyle. The Plan aims to provide a coordinated, long term vision to guide land use and development and manage the future development of the settlements 20 years into the future.
Community participation is essential to achieving these objectives. An online community survey conducted late in 2022, a community drop-in session in March 2023 and engagement with a variety of government and community group stakeholders have guided the creation of a draft Plan. In September 2023 Warrnambool City Council released the first Draft Plan for public comment. A second round of feedback on a subsequent draft was received in May 2025.
The community have provided significant feedback on the Draft Plan, both positive and negative. The comments have offered further thoughts and reinforced some priorities. Detailed feedback was received from individual community members, community groups and government agencies with an interest in the small towns. The Draft Plan is currently being revised based on the feedback received. Some additional community engagement will take place prior to preparing the final version of the Plan.
A newly created Implementation Strategy will guide the further realisation of the revised Strategic Framework Plan vision and development over the next 20 years and beyond. Both of these will be presented to Council for formal adoption. The Implementation Strategy will also detail further technical work as well as actions required to realise the vision of the Bushfield-Woodford Strategic Framework Plan.
Development of the Plan is funded through a grant provided by the Victorian Planning Authority.
If you have questions or comments regarding the project, please contact Peter Reid on 5559-4800 or via email at preid@warrnambool.vic.gov.au. You can also write to:
Warrnambool City Council Strategic Planning
PO Box 198
Warrnambool, Vic, 3280