Coliban ward councillor Sebastian Klein said recent news the community had failed to receive funding for a girls’ change room at the local netball courts was the latest in four successive applications to be turned down.

He said Trentham had also missed out on library funding as well as two applications under Regional Development funding for the town’s streetscape upgrades as well as its Mechanics’ Institute.

The claims have been refuted by Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas, who said it was “disingenuous to suggest Trentham was being overlooked for any reason”.

Cr Klein said the community felt “snubbed” and described Trentham as a “blind spot”.

“Everyone is pretty exhausted, they’re all volunteers and they do their best for these facilities and they feel it’s not being recognised or met by other tiers of government,” he said.

”There’s no explanation but it appears to be a pattern. The community members put in a lot and sometimes they wonder if anyone notices or cares.”

Netball player Chelsea Clarke expressed her disappointment following news the change room would not go ahead.

Football coach Cello Matricardi echoed her sentiments.

“Just because we are at the end of the shire, doesn't mean we should be at the end of the funding list every time,” he said.

Ms Thomas said she would “dearly love” to see Trentham achieve its goals and would continue to work with the community to help it.

“The feedback I’ve had is the application that went up (for the change rooms) was not quite there, there was no consultation with the leagues or with council getting right behind it,” she said.

She said regarding grants knocked back under the previous government, she would be happy to work with the council and the community to get its applications prioritised. A spokesman for Ballarat MP Jaala Pulford also offered support.