community development also think more creatively in terms of community events centred on the value of sustainability .
CASE STUDY Welcome to Hurstbridge population of 3,450 ( at the last census in 2016 ) and in August 2020 home to over 150 plus scarecrows ! Why scarecrows ? Hurstbridge is home to the Wattle Festival held the last weekend in August every year but like so many things in 2020 the festival had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 situation . The Wattle Festival is a celebration of spring when the local bushland bursts into bright yellow as the native wattle trees blossom . In the absence of a festival this year the call went out for residents to build scarecrows and place them in their front garden ; in much the same way as we have seen calls for teddy bears in windows to entertain children in locked down Victoria on their daily walks or “ bear hunts ”. Being a rural community in the heart of Nillumbik ( North East of Melbourne ) the idea of scarecrows was fitting and soon caught on . But the real question is not so much , why scarecrows , as it is , why did this catch on so quickly and so completely across this small rural community ?
The answer to this lies in part with the alignment with the community ’ s strong sense of belonging . Hurstbridge is a close-knit community and the Wattle Festival is an important part of its collective identity . Communities were people are well connected with high levels of social inclusion make it a fertile ground for community-based actions .
But that is only part of the explanation the real key lies in the alignment with the community ’ s collective values . Hurstbridge is a community of ‘ creatives ’; artists , musicians , and performers who value creative expression . One of its many famous past residents being the modern artist Albert Tucker ( 1914-1999 ). It is also home to many ‘ tree-changers ’ who value wellness , organic produce , and sustainable living . Reflecting these values , Hurstbridge was the first town in Melbourne to go plastic bag free . Being a rural village , Hurstbridge is also home to farmers and many families have called Hurstbridge home across multiple generations . This
At a time when residents of this highly social community were dealing with the challenges of lockdown , a craft-based intervention has allowed an opportunity to reap the positive wellness rewards from making and being creative .
has resulted in a strong sense of place and tradition .
The concentration of creative people means that the crafting challenge to create a scarecrow played to the interests and skills of this group . The fact that scarecrows are made from reusing and
recycling grabbed the interest of the treechangers and the link between scarecrows and the famers is obvious and routed in traditional ( organic ) ways for tending the land . Scarecrow making meant that each of these groups has something unique to contribute .
What was especially interesting though was that the scarecrows themselves became an expression of the community ’ s collective identity and values . The population of Hurstbridge is eclectic , yet inclusive and diverse and this was reflected in the scarecrows that were built . The traditional farm scarecrow in a checked shirt and blue denim was certainly to be found , but so were a wide range of reimagined 2020 scarecrows . There was gender equity , ethnic diversity , and young and old scarecrows – displaying the values of inclusion . There is even a parody in the form of a crafting scarecrows sitting knitting in the quiet of the native bushland . There were theatrical jugglers and clowns and several musicians including a scarecrow bush-music band . All displaying the value of creative expression . There was even a touch of the mystical world in the form of witches – displaying values of spirituality . The final set is those that fall into the category of creative works in the form of sculptures being welded or made from pipes and other recycled materialsdisplaying the value of sustainability .
The call to craft was also an important component in this initiative given its timing during the COVID-19 lockdown . Crafting is well known to be beneficial to mental health . Crafting is associated with wellbeing and feelings of happiness
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL VOL 13 NO 2 2020 37