The Bunjil eagle has landed

Casey chief executive Mike Tyler, councillors Rex Flannery, Amanda Stapledon, Timothy Jackson, Milla Gilic and Susan Serey, Mayor Sam Aziz, Federal MP Jason Wood, councillors Wayne Smith, Geoff Ablett and Damien Rosario open Bunjil Place. 174129_01 Picture: ROB CAREW

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

With a roll-call of entertainers, Bunjil Place opened to the public with a weekend of frivolity and fanfare on Saturday 28 October and Sunday 29 October.
Casey Council estimated that more than 35,000 people flocked to the opening festival at the $125 million civic-arts precinct’s theatres, library, gallery and plaza.
Since the festival, the council offices and customer service centre have moved to Bunjil Place.
Casey Mayor Sam Aziz said the council’s new headquarters was a modern, dynamic and friendly place for people to interact with the council.
The offices allowed many of the council’s staff to work together under the one roof.
“The move will also see employees shift to a more flexible way of working that will result in better outcomes for our community and deliver better customer service to our residents.”
In upcoming events, the library will be officially opened on 3 November and Casey’s first council meeting at Bunjil Place will take place on 9 November.
The project was partly funded by the Federal Government’s $10 million grant and a State Government grant of $750,000 for the library.
La Trobe federal MP Jason Wood congratulated Casey Council in a video message with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Canberra that was played to Gala Dinner guests on Thursday evening.

PM Malcolm Turnbull and MP Jason Wood welcome Bunjil Place.

 

The exhibition space could showcase some of the region’s famous artists such as Tom Roberts and Arthur Streeton as well as its contemporary creatives, Mr Wood said.
Mr Turnbull congratulated Mr Wood for his “advocacy and passion for your community” in securing federal funding for Bunjil Place.
“It will bring together the extraordinary talent in your community,” Mr Turnbull told viewers.
“We’re proud to say Bunjil Place is your place.”
Casey Residents and Ratepayers Association spokesman Brendan Browne was not so complimentary, saying that Bunjil Place was a “nice building, but you would expect that when you spend ($115 million) of ratepayers’ money”.
“Our calculations estimate that in the long run it will end up costing every rate paying household in Casey an average of at least $240.
“We hope that people get their money’s worth and that it is well utilised, but it’s not an equitable way of funding such a project.
“Theatre patrons across the South-East of Melbourne will benefit, but many local Casey residents who don’t utilise the facilities will see no benefit at all,” he said.