By Olivia Condous
The state government has made an investment in the Parwan area to better support agricultural business growth in the Moorabool Shire.
Buningyong MP Michaela Settle and Melton MP Steve McGhie announced $200,000 in funding on April 12 for Moorabool Council to develop plans to connect power, water and sewerage to the Parwan precinct through the government’s Investment Fast Track Fund.
The Moorabool Shire Council and Greater Western Water will also contribute $25,000 each to the project.
The Parwan Employment Precinct project is an initiative from the Moorabool Shire Council and the Victorian Planning Authority to develop the area south of Bacchus Marsh into an agribusiness hub.
The plans to develop further infrastructure in Parwan serve the goal of attracting significant levels of new industrial and agricultural business investment to the region and capitalise on existing business in the area.
The project aims to help reduce the number of residents leaving the Shire for employment opportunities by potentially providing more than 1,500 jobs and will provide an estimated economic benefit of $186 million to the region.
The Investment Fast Track Fund is part of the state government’s $156 million Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund designed to create more jobs in regional Victoria and support councils to build needed infrastructure.
Buningyong MP Michaela Settle said Parwan had the potential to create prosperity for the broader community.
“Connection of power, water and sewerage will help attract new business and those already there to expand,” Ms Settle said.
“The Investment Fast Track Fund is taking projects from the ideas phase to be investment and development-ready, as this will help boost our regional economy while creating jobs.”
Greater Western Water managing director Maree Lang said the organisation was committed to working with partners to support growth and development in regional communities.
“The Parwan Employment Precinct has significant potential to be a thriving agricultural district,” she said.
