Thursday, 31 July 2025

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Water) (09:50): Our tiniest towns are often the heart and soul of western Victoria, places where community spirit runs deep and neighbours always look out for one another. That is why I am proud to see a wide range of projects receiving the funding and the support they deserve. We are seeing valuable upgrades, like $50,000 to transform the old Apollo Bay kinder into a brand new community hub, $50,000 for the Lismore footbridge replacement, $40,000 for stage 3 of Cobden’s Tandarook Park restoration, over $46,000 to resurface the Camperdown–Timboon rail trail, over $28,000 to enhance the Wye River Surf Life Saving Club rooms and $50,000 to transform the old football clubrooms at South Purrumbete reserve into modern, vibrant community spaces.

Western Victoria also knows how to put on a show, and it is no surprise our venues have been successful in the latest round of 10,000 Gigs: The Victorian Gig Fund. From Keayang Maar Vineyard to Camperdown’s Theatre Royal and Bells Beach Brewing, these grants will create more paid opportunities for Victorian artists, support local businesses and bring more live music to our regional communities. Whether it is restoring a rail trail, upgrading a local park or filling a venue with live music, these investments reflect the rich diversity of our communities and help keep western Victoria vibrant, connected and strong.