Central Highlands Councils’ collaborative wish list will be presented on Monday morning to Victorian Regional Development Minster Jaala Pulford. 

The regional investment plan underpins lobbying for state and federal government funding for what the CHC has identified as priority projects to benefit and transform the whole region in five key areas: growing food and fibre industries, improved access and telecommunications, well-being, renewable energy and tourism.

Specific to Ballarat, priorities include regional rail connections, the Ballarat Waste to Energy facility and the Ballarat Sports and Events Centre. Nearby are proposals for the Heburn and Trentham community hubs and a Creswick mountain biking mecca. 

Ballarat mayor Des Hudson said all projects had flow-on effects to strengthen the region economically, socially and in job creation.

“We are advocating for projects that add value and strength to the regions. What we’re doing is lobbying across borders,” Cr Hudson said. “Saying it collectively, we’re representing a region of about 400,000 people in projects that can make a significant difference for the future.”

Cr Hudson said the launch was very much timed to be picked up in the federal election cycle and the key was to get support from both major parties so projects would be guaranteed. He said a united front between councils helped add weight to the region in terms of political capital.

The CHC regional investment plan launch builds on a team approach between the region’s councils and shires before key politicians and advisers in Canberra earlier this year. CHC consists of delegates from Golden Plains, Moorabool, Northern Grampians, Hepburn and Pyrenees shires, Ararat Rural City, City of Ballarat and the Central Highlands Regional Planning Committee.

Cr Hudson said most projects were seeking grants via National Stronger Regions Fund round three, a number were shovel-ready and just awaiting funding to proceed and some were already partially funded.

The $18.7 million Ballarat Waste to Energy facility requires an additional $2.5 million to be fully operations. Ballarat City Council has committed to invest $15 million to the project across five years.

City of Ballarat estimates are the facility will divert about 30,000 tonnes of waste from landfill. This includes the facility’s key role in the City’s adoption of green waste kerbside collection from July 1.

The facility will create jobs, sustainable and affordable energy for industries and a waste management model and support for the region, according to the CHC briefing.

Ballarat Sports and Events Centre is under architectural design to deliver stage one of the project with $14 million secured in combined state government and City of Ballarat funding. This stage features four courts and supporting facilities. A further $10 million that the BSEC and City of Ballarat is seeking under the NSRF would deliver a 3000-seat show court and two extra courts, creating an eight-court modern stadium capable of attracting major events and tournaments.

CHC chairman and Ararat mayor Paul Hooper said big sporting tournaments, like basketball, in Ballarat tended to encourage visitors to take a little extra time to explore the region or return to the region for holidays. A full-developed stadium would continue to attract major events to encourage this.

Pyrenees mayor Michael O’Connor said children from smaller towns travelled into Ballarat for indoor sports competitions and to take their game to the next level in representative sport. He is concerned already bursting facilities in Ballarat would have a ripple effect on access to court space for his shire.

Plans for a Creswick mountain bike mecca in the Hepburn Shire would create a trail for walking, running and mountain biking. The trail would improve links to Bendigo via the Goldfields Track and aims to draw on the region’s growing reputation as a cycling destination.

Previous CHC lobbying success includes funding for Grampians Peaks Trails, Stawell Underground Particle Physics Laboratory, Ballarat Railway Station Precinct and Western Highway upgrades.