Wimmera Southern Mallee Summary
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Regional priorities Wimmera Southern Mallee Summary Victoria’s Draft 30-Year Infrastructure Strategy 02 Infrastructure Victoria What is Victoria's Draft 30-Year Infrastructure Strategy? In 2016, Infrastructure Victoria recommendations and adding others developed Victoria’s first ever 30-year in response to Victoria’s changing infrastructure strategy. This statewide, circumstances. But we retain a long-term evidence-based strategy covers view of Victoria’s infrastructure needs over all types of infrastructure and was the next 30 years, remembering that developed in consultation with infrastructure lasts many decades, stakeholders and the community. and must meet both immediate needs and those in the future. To stay relevant and reflect our state’s evolving infrastructure needs, the strategy To review the draft strategy, including all is updated every three to five years. 95 draft recommendations for infrastructure projects, policies and reforms, visit The updated draft strategy builds on infrastructurevictoria.com.au our work, revising many of our original Why do we want to hear from you? We're updating our strategy to guide Can you: Victoria's infrastructure planning for \ Provide feedback on draft the next 30 years. recommendations? And you can help shape Victoria's \ Answer discussion questions infrastructure. Have we got it right for contained in the draft strategy? your community? We want your feedback. \ Provide data or information to support the final strategy? Victoria’s Draft 30-year Infrastructure Strategy Wimmera Southern Mallee summary 03 How has Infrastructure Victoria listened to regional Victorians? We’ve committed to building a deeper regions, and explored recommendations understanding of infrastructure needs which will address them. Our work is and impacts in regional Victoria, and to shaped by extensive consultation and developing stronger evidence to make engagement across Victoria’s regions, better regional infrastructure which includes a workshop in Horsham investments. that brought together stakeholders from: Over the last three years, we have built our \ Wimmera Southern Mallee knowledge of regional communities, Regional Partnership examined the unique opportunities and \ local and state governments challenges that face each of Victoria’s \ private organisations. Engagement timeline 2017 Oct–Dec 2018 Mar 2019 Apr–Jun 2019 Oct 2019 Regional Consultation: Regional Consultation: Consultation: work program regional Infrastructure targeted workshops inception workshops Needs profiles meetings 2021 2020–21 Dec 2020 Dec–Feb 2019–20 Nov 2019–20 Final Consultation: Draft Consultation: Infrastructure strategy draft strategy strategy submissions Priorities for the process Regions profiles What do we want to know now? Our regional research and engagement We want your feedback on our draft \ Are there other cost-effective ways to focused on infrastructure-related recommendations, to help us shape the meet the infrastructure needs of the opportunities to build on Wimmera final strategy. Your input is welcome on all Wimmera Southern Mallee region? Southern Mallee’s economic and industry draft recommendations, not just those \ Are there specific areas in Wimmera advantages, and to strengthen local targeting regional Victoria. The questions Southern Mallee where the draft communities by improving health, include: recommendations apply most strongly? education and social inclusion outcomes. \ Do the draft recommendations work \ Do you have more evidence about This document provides a summary of well together? For example, is the the effectiveness of our draft selected recommendations from the draft balance right between constructing recommendations in meeting strategy which respond to the needs and new infrastructure and making better their objectives? opportunities we identified in Wimmera use of existing infrastructure? \ Are there any unintended consequences Southern Mallee. Our findings and draft \ Do the draft recommendations of the draft recommendations? recommendations are grouped by key collectively respond to Wimmera themes identified in the draft strategy and Southern Mallee’s infrastructure-related the outcomes we want to achieve. challenges and opportunities? 04 Infrastructure Victoria Overview The Wimmera Southern Mallee region is an agricultural economy based on dryland farming – especially grain, a major export for the region. Health services and manufacturing make up the next largest sectors of the economy with several key health facilities located in Horsham, the region’s largest urban centre. The Wimmera Southern Mallee region residents across Wimmera Southern Mallee. includes the traditional lands of the Wotjobaluk, Horsham’s population has been growing in Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagalk recent years, in contrast to the region’s peoples and sections of the land of the Dja Dja smaller towns and rural areas. Warrung people, Taungurung people and the The region contains some of Victoria’s more Yorta Yorta people. The region is home to remote areas, bordering South Australia. The some of Victoria’s iconic natural attractions, region does not border metropolitan Melbourne including the Grampians National Park and and therefore the region’s population and the Wimmera River. economy are less influenced by the benefits Horsham and Stawell are service centres for and pressures associated with being adjacent the wider region. Horsham in particular is a to Melbourne’s peri-urban fringe. major centre of employment and services for The regions of Wimmera Southern Mallee An agricultural economy based on dryland farming. Rural cropping areas Yarriambiack (S) Hindmarsh (S) Health services and manufacturing make up Warracknabeal the next largest sectors Nhill of the economy. Kaniva Horsham is a major Dimboola centre of employment and services for residents across Wimmera Murtoa St Arnaud Southern Mallee. Horsham West Wimmera (S) The region includes the Northern traditional lands of the Horsham (RC) Grampians (S) Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagalk peoples and Edenhope Stawell South sections of the land of the Horsham’s population east area Dja Dja Wurrung people, has been growing in Taungurung people and recent years. Horsham the Yorta Yorta people. regional hub Victoria’s Draft 30-year Infrastructure Strategy Wimmera Southern Mallee summary 05 Sheep at Dusk, Wimmera Malleee Tourism Enhance market access and productivity What we found Better connect Wimmera Draft recommendation 77 Wimmera Southern Mallee’s rail freight Southern Mallee businesses network, which links grain producers and with processors and markets Deliver funding certainty for regional road maintenance processors with Victoria’s ports and export Draft regional transport recommendations and upgrades markets, is a regional strength. to provide funding certainty for road and rail maintenance and upgrade programs Within two years, specify clear levels of Despite the region’s strong rail freight aim to leverage Wimmera Southern service for each type of regional road and network, many businesses remain reliant Mallee’s road and rail freight networks to bridge. Following this, dedicate an ongoing on heavy vehicle transportation. Upgrades better support the needs of the region’s program to fund regional road and bridge and improvements to the current road businesses. This will help improve access, maintenance and upgrades to meet these infrastructure are needed to manage connectivity and safety while also reducing service levels. Funding should be prioritised increasing volumes of freight travelling supply chain costs, allowing businesses to based on improving safety, decreasing between the region’s primary industries, remain competitive. vehicle emissions, and lifting economic processors and markets. This includes productivity. the region’s agriculture industry and the These recommendations will build on emerging mining and renewable energy one-off Victorian Government funding industries. Safe and reliable country roads commitments for road and rail maintenance Draft recommendation 78 are also needed to connect tourist announced as part of the Building Works locations and visitor accommodation. stimulus package and the Victorian Budget Revise the Murray 2020-21, to deliver longer term funding Wimmera Southern Mallee requires Basin Rail project plan certainty for freight networks. sustained investment in road and rail Immediately revise the Murray Basin Rail maintenance and upgrades to enable The original Murray Basin Rail project aimed project plan, informed by the project's efficient supply chains and provide to improve freight routes through the region business case review. certainty to local businesses to Melbourne and regional ports, to improve and investors. efficiency and lower the cost of freight transport across Victoria’s west. Draft recommendation 79 The draft strategy recommendation to Fund an ongoing rail freight revise the Murray Basin Rail project plan maintenance program seeks to provide certainty about future intentions for this important upgrade Immediately fund an ongoing periodic Please refer to Infrastructure Victoria’s to the regional freight network. regional freight rail maintenance program, draft 30-year strategy (section 1.4) informed by a publicly available network for statewide recommendations to asset management plan. help industries stay connected to global markets. 06 Infrastructure Victoria What we found However, opportunities to improve digital Combined with the draft recommendation coverage and