Sign of good times

A NEW township sign welcoming residents and visitors to Warburton was officially unveiled last Thursday.
The sign, made of reclaimed timber slabs and featuring carvings by local artists, is near the Yarra River, 200 metres before the town.
The sign. which replaces one that fell down more than a year ago, includes two timber slabs, and features lighting and improved landscaping.
The top timber, a piece of cypress from Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens, features carvings of a platypus, an owl and a lyrebird. The bottom timber has large black and white carved letters with the message, Welcome To Warburton.
The Warburton Community Bank paid for the sign with a grant of $8,500 to the Warburton Advancement League.
“The bank is honoured to be able to fund projects like this that allow local groups to get in and get their hands dirty and achieve great things for the community,” its deputy chair, Baden Berry, said.
League vice-president and treasurer David Allen said the sign was a team effort with other community groups.
“This project would not have happened if we had not had the support of Bridge 3799, Warburton Chamber of Commerce, Upper Yarra and Warburton Tourism, the River Reserves Committee, the Shire of Yarra Ranges, and the Warburton Community Bank,” Mr Allen said.
Shire of Yarra Ranges mayor, Monika Keane, said the Warburton community should be proud of the new sign.
“It is not only a reflection of Warburton’s natural environment, but a reflection of the people who make up the township,” she said.