New opportunities for country towns
Friday 8 July 2011
The Victorian Government has launched a $9.4 million initiative to support country towns to address socio-economic disadvantage and meet the challenges of change.
The Advancing Country Towns Program is a $9.4 million investment in nine regional and rural communities, which have been identified as experiencing disproportionate levels of disadvantage while also having opportunities for growth and prosperity.
The investment aims to revitalise nine regional and rural Victorian communities, creating new prosperity, more job opportunities and a better quality of life.
The program will provide more than $800,000 in negotiated grants to local agencies over the next four years.
The areas receiving these grants include:
- Alexandra, Eildon and Thornton
- Benalla
- Clunes, Creswick and Talbot
- Colac
- Heywood and Lake Condah
- Lakes Entrance
- Mallee Track (Ouyen, Walpeup, Underbool, Cowangie and Murrayville)
- Meeniyan, Koonwarra, Buffalo, Dumbalk, Tarwin, Tarwin Lower, Middle Tarwin, Venus Bay and Fish Creek
- Robinvale
Local grant holders will work across business, community and government to focus on solutions to challenges like changing population patterns, ageing populations, migration of young people to larger regional centres and cities and climate change.
The program was launched in the Gippsland town of Fish Creek on Friday 8 July 2011.
Will Kranan, co-owner of Cafe KO Bar and Grill in Fish Creek said the funding will be good for the town and good for the region.
"As local business owners we are committed to local employment and growing the local economy and this program will provide further opportunities," Mr Kranan said.
