Melton and Moorabool councils say they’re not surprised by a report that identifies the neighbours as the fastest growing municipalities in the state.
In the next 15 years, more than 153,000 people are expected to call Melton home – making it the fastest growing municipality (4.4 per cent per annum), and the third largest in the state behind Wyndham and Casey.
Meanwhile, Moorabool’s population is expected to increase by 2.4 per cent per annum – making it the second fastest growing regional municipality, a recent Department of Land, Water and Planning report found.
Moorabool chief executive Rob Croxford said there had been an “extraordinary amount” of interest in Moorabool – particularly in Bacchus Marsh. And, with steady growth, there needs to be a “serious” vision for and investment in the shire, he said.
“For the past few years, we’ve been working on a Bacchus Marsh 2041 vision.
“It is essentially based on a whole lot of strategic work around transport planning, land use planning, community planning, social services planning and recreational planning.”
He said the council was not simply “sitting back and wondering what’s going to happen”.
Mr Croxford said while work was under way at Halletts Way’s on and off ramps to the Western Freeway at Bacchus Marsh, and also the early-years hub at Darley, the shire still needs significant investment, including funds to fix traffic woes at Bacchus Marsh and upgrade the recreation reserve at West Maddingley.
“We’re behind the eight-ball, and population growth is occurring – we’ve got to do something about it,” Mr Croxford said.
Melton council city design, strategy and environment manager Laura Jo Mellan said early investment and delivering infrastructure would ensure “we are creating resilient and healthy communities for the future”.
Ms Mellan said more schools, local jobs, health care, and improved transport networks were vital to keeping pace with population growth, which will be focused on Plumpton, Rockbank, Melton and Melton South.
“Moderate growth is expected in Diggers Rest, Kurunjang, Melton West and Eynesbury,” Ms Mellan said.
“Warehouse and industrial growth are expected in Ravenhall and Truganina.”
