Liam McNally
In the wake of the cancellation of the Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Moorabool council has expressed disappointment in missing out on the opportunities they were hoping it would bring to the area.
The state government announced on July 18 that Victoria would no longer be hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games in regional centres, including Ballarat, after projected costs blew out to more than $6 billion.
Moorabool mayor Rod Ward said that the decision is understandable, but disappointing and one that would affect them.
“Our shire will miss out on potential training grounds, accommodation and extra tourists in our area, which we were working on internally leading up to 2024,” he said.
“We are also disappointed also for those regional areas who were excited at the prospect of hosting Commonwealth Games events in 2026, and also for the athletes affected by this decision.
“We are keen to position ourselves to receive a share of the Regional Tourism and Events Fund for our growing population and increased visitors to our area.”
The Regional Tourism and Events Fund is a $150 million state government investment delivered as a part of a $2 billion package to ensure regional Victoria still receives benefits that would have been facilitated by the games.
Midwest Tourism Victoria (MTV), a new peak body aimed at boosting tourism to Moorabool, Ballarat and the Pyrenees, Golden Plains and Hepburn shires, is advocating for the region to get its fair share of the government support.
MTV chair John Pandazopoulos said in a statement that the games were to deliver a much-needed boost to the mid-west region’s visitor economy, which is still recovering from the challenges of the past three years.
“The Commonwealth Games allowed us to stimulate confidence in an industry longing for a boost,” he said. “So, to get the best we can out of this situation, we must continue to advocate for investment into our region and ensure the state government’s $2 billion package compensates for the loss of this significant event.”
