Loddon Mallee
The Loddon Mallee region occupies more than a quarter of Victoria and with one of the most consistently warm climates in the State, people flock to the region for the waterways of the Murray River, acclaimed restaurants and wineries, heritage towns, and grand forests.
The Loddon Mallee region is benefiting from a range of investments including:
- $630 million for the Bendigo Base Hospital Development to provide additional crucial facilities in preparation for growth in the region
- $5 million to the Bendigo Airport Revamp to improve access and infrastructure to support emergency services
- $8 million for the extension of train services to Eaglehawk and Epsom including station upgrades
- $11 million for the Mildura Riverfront Masterplan to provide a world class marina and riverfront development including a state-of-the-art conference centre
- $3 million to upgrade Mildura Airport to accommodate future passenger growth
- Share of $100 million towards Natural Gas Supply to extend natural gas across regional Victoria and encourage greater investment in the regions
- $5 million to upgrade Mildura Hospital to expand capacity and increase health services across the region
- Share of $151 million for a MICA single response unit in Mildura.
Key town centres
Bendigo, Castlemaine, Echuca, Gisborne, Kerang, Kyneton, Maryborough, Mildura, Swan Hill, Wedderburn, Wycheproof.
Municipalities/population
- Bulloke Shire
- Campaspe Shire
- Central Goldfields Shire
- City of Greater Bendigo
- Gunnawarra Shire
- Loddon Shire
- Macedon Ranges Shire
- Mildura Rural City
- Mount Alexander Shire
- Swan Hill Rural City
Learning and education
The region offers a broad range of educational facilities including pre-schools, primary schools, secondary schools, TAFE campuses, La Trobe University campuses in Bendigo and Mildura, and the Swan Hill International College.
Employment and industry
Loddon Mallee has a growing economy in tourism, viticulture, equine, horticulture, crops, cattle, manufacturing and wool production. As a major food producing area, the region is also home to a vibrant manufacturing and service sector. The Bendigo Bank is the only Australian bank to be headquartered in a regional area.
Fitness and fun
With many sporting grounds, golf courses, water skiing, swimming, lawn bowls and tennis venues on offer, there is something for everyone. Theatres and arts centres are open throughout the year with community-based theatre companies upholding a strong tradition in regional communities.
Art and culture
Festivals such as the Mildura Jazz, Food and Wine Festival, Bendigo Olive Festival, and significant events at Hanging Rock attract visitors from far and wide. Locals can also see Sun Loong the Chinese dragon parade through the streets of Bendigo for the annual four-day festival at Easter, listen to some of the country's finest folk artists at the Maldon Folk Festival, or stroll the many stunning gardens open during the Castlemaine Festival of Gardens.
While in the region, visitors and locals alike enjoy our iconic and widely acknowledged restaurants whether in Piper St Kyneton, the wharf area of Echuca, our Goldfields towns of Castlemaine and Bendigo or destination dining in Mildura.
Opportunities
- Dry land farming continues to be a major economic driver for the region
- Employment is growing in the services sectors, particularly in health and education, and related industries, such as IT and professional and business services, are also strong.
- The Bendigo area is benefiting from improved transport links with Melbourne.
- New opportunities are likely to emerge in renewable energy (particularly large scale solar), mineral sands and nature-based and Indigenous tourism.
Challenges
- Viticulture and wine making is endangered by volatility in global markets and oversupply in some segments of local markets.
- Reduced water inflows in upper catchments are likely to produce continuing uncertainty for the horticulture sector.
- Growth in the mineral sands mining industries will increase freight traffic throughout the region, with flow-on for road and rail infrastructure
- Parts of the region are more highly exposed to climate change than many parts of the State.
Visit here for more details about Loddon Mallee's outlook
Following are the Loddon Mallee Regional plans as presented to the Victorian Government: