Moorabool’s top seven priority projects for which the council will seek government funding have been met with residents’ approval.
Moorabool council has fine-tuned and formalised its advocacy document in the lead-up to November’s state election.
The Moorabool shire council’s Key Priority Projects document lists the Halletts Way project, an eastern transport and freight bypass for Bacchus Marsh and sewerage for small towns among its vital needs.
Bacchus Marsh resident Damien Strangio said the traffic solution projects should be strongly promoted by the council.
“The proper extension of Halletts Way has been in the works for 20 years and we need it now,” Dr Strangio said.
“As far as an eastern transport and freight bypass … it just involves VicRoads posing sensible options that force trucks that don’t necessarily need to travel through Bacchus March out of it.”
Other projects cited for funding include the Parwan employment zone, more recreation reserves, the Moorabool indoor aquatic centre and a Darley early-years hub.
Darley resident Dannielle Cooper said she supported all the projects but believed services for Moorabool teenagers needed more attention and funding.
“I think our town’s desperate for a solution to our wayward teens, who right now have no services catering for them,” she said. “When the Big Brothers Big Sisters program was cut, it left Moorabool teens with absolutely nowhere to turn.”
The program matched 16 children with mentors in areas including the Moorabool, Pyrenees and Hepburn shires. It was funded by Highlands LLEN, which was no longer able to provide the $80,000 needed annually to keep the program afloat.
Moorabool mayor Paul Tatchell said the document provided a context to “quickly explain” the community’s needs and expectations, and put growth challenges in sharp focus. “Moorabool is popular as a place to live, work and invest, so we need to make the state and federal governments aware of our needs and build strong partnerships to ensure these projects can be delivered,” Cr Tatchell said.
The council’s position on wind farms, coal mining, agriculture and the Moorabool River are also detailed in the document.
Dr Strangio said the council should also be pushing for improvements to local hospitals. “Maternity numbers have essentially tripled in the past six years. We’re up to 1100 births per year and this will only continue to increase so it makes sense that funding should, too.”
For an electronic copy of the document, visit www.moorabool.vic.gov.au.
