Grampians

The Grampians region in western Victoria first came alive during the Gold Rush and is home to stunning parks, rolling hills, historic villages and vibrant cities. In the east, Ballarat is a strong driver of growth and new investment, with the increasing prosperity of towns and communities around Ballarat attracting new residents. In the west, the focus is in diversifying the area's economic base and taking advantage of the opportunities from the recently completed Wimmera Mallee Pipeline.

The Grampians region is benefiting from a range of investments including:

• $90.4 million to boost Ballarat Health Services increasing Ballarat’s capacity to meet current and future demand for its services
• $38 million for the Ballarat Link Road development connecting Midland Highway, Western Highway, Remembrance Drive and Ballarat West Growth Area
• $1.6 million for additional train services to Wendouree Station
• $4 million over four years from the Country Roads and Bridges Fund to restore and upgrade road networks
• $2.5 million for the Wimmera Community Centre development to help deliver a range of important local activities, programs and events to families in need
• Share of $151 million for the MICA single responder unit in Horsham
• Share of $6 million to fund Community Leadership Programs

Key town centres

Ararat, Avoca, Bacchus Marsh, Ballarat, Beaufort, Daylesford, Edenhope, Great Western, Hopetoun, Horsham, Kaniva, Nhill,  St Arnaud, Stawell and Warracknabeal.

Municipalities

• Ararat Rural City
• City of Ballarat
• Golden Plains Shire
• Hepburn Shire
• Hindmarsh Shire
• Horsham Rural City
• Moorabool Shire
• Northern Grampians
• Pyrenees Shire
• West Wimmera Shire
• Yarriambiack Shire

Learning and education

With the University of Ballarat, SMB,  NMIT College of Wine near Ararat, TAFE colleges and multiple options at all levels of schooling the Grampians region has options whatever your education needs.

Employment and industry

Health and community service and manufacturing are strong in the Grampians, and the region boasts the status of Australia's best performing grain-growing and produces 70% of Victoria's grain. The region also has one of the highest concentrations of ICT professionals and a growing cluster of industries working in new communications technologies.  Companies leading development in the region include IBM, McCains, Masterfoods, Australia Milling, Haymes Paints, iGlass, Taltarni Winery, Northgate Minerals.

Fitness and fun

A fantastic range of leisure and sporting facilities exist in the Grampians region including football and cricket grounds, swimming pools, tennis course, golf courses, race courses and natural landscapes for bushwalking. Outdoor adventurers are drawn to climbing locations on Mount Arapiles and around the Grampians, while prospecting for gold near Avoca and St Arnaud can prove to be lucrative hobbies.

Art and culture

Horsham Regional Art Gallery has an impressive collection of Australian photography and contemporary art. The Ararat Regional Gallery hosts a dynamic textile collection while the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery is home to the Eureka Flag and a stunning collection of Australian Colonial, goldfields and contemporary art.  A number of smaller community and commercial galleries can be found throughout the region. The Grampians hosts a range of festivals including the iconic Stawell Gift, the  Horsham Awakenings Festival, Nati Fringe Festival, Grampians Grape Escape food and wine Festival, Daylesford Chill Out, Clunes Back to Booktown, Ballarat Heritage Weekend, Grampians Wildflower Festival, the Ararat Jailhouse Rock Festival, the Grampians Jazz Festival and the Ballarat Royal South Street competitions.

Examples of recent investment

• The Victorian Government continues to invest heavily in upgrading road, rail and freight infrastructure in the Central Highlands sub-region to capture the benefits of proximity to Melbourne.
• Upgrades of Stawell and Ballarat airports are being undertaken through the Regional Growth Fund.
• The Government has committed $20 million for new facilities at Ballarat Hospital.

Opportunities

• The employment breakdown in the region is far more 'metropolitan' in flavour than the regional average, highly represented in industries such as manufacturing, IT services, real estate and professional services.
• If Ballarat can continue to integrate with the broader Melbourne employment market while maintaining regional character, the region will continue to attract 'tree changers' seeking more relaxed country lifestyles with access to good jobs.
• New opportunities may emerge in renewable, mineral sands and heritage, nature-based and Indigenous tourism, especially in and around Ballarat and in the Grampians National Park.
• The completion of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline offers opportunities for intensive animal industries, horticultural and agricultural expansion.

Challenges

• With its large dry land faming base, this part of the west part of the region is highly exposed to changing weather and climate patterns.
• Ecosystems such as the Little and Big Desert regions and the northern Grampians are likely to be at increased risk from fire and have limited margins to adapt to major environmental changes.
• Towns and communities around Ballarat and along the Melbourne to Ballarat corridor, as well as towns in the Grampians National Park and adjacent to the St Arnaud Ranges National Park are also exposed to the increased risk of bushfires.

Visit here for more details about the Grampians' outlook

Following are the Grampians Regional plans as presented to the Victorian Government: