Council Meeting wrap - April 2025

Published on 17 April 2025

April 2025 Council Meeting.png

The release of Council’s 2025/2026 Proposed Budget for community feedback and a decision on the future of the Kerang to Koondrook Rail Trail were the highlights of Gannawarra Shire Council’s April 2025 meeting.

Held at the Kerang Senior Citizens Centre on Wednesday, 16 April, the major topic of discussion was Council’s 2025/2026 Proposed Budget.

Residents can view the 2025/2026 Proposed Budget online at www.gsc.vic.gov.au/budget or at Council’s Customer Service Centres at Cohuna and Kerang, with feedback accepted up to 5pm Friday, 16 May.

Key features of the 2025/2026 Proposed Budget include a $17.256 million investment in capital works and an increase in revenue raised through municipal rates revenue that complies with the State Government’s Fair Go Rates System.

Meanwhile, Council has made the difficult decision to cancel the development of the Kerang to Koondrook Rail Trail due to project constraints and projected costs.

Council has spent many years working with the community on the viability of the Kerang-Koondrook Rail Trail, which would have benefited residents and tourists wanting to explore the area between two of the Gannawarra’s largest towns on bike or by foot.

Unfortunately, extensive investigation, design, costing, environmental assessments, and safety evaluations undertaken as part of planning for this project identified critical barriers, including significant environmental impacts, safety concerns regarding route alignment, and prohibitive project costs estimated at over $20 million.

Other outcomes of the meeting included:

  • Approving the Draft Revenue and Rating Plan to proceed to the community engagement stage, with feedback accepted up to 5pm Friday, 16 May;
  • Endorsing the establishment of the Gannawarra Shire Road Focus Group and its terms of reference, with an expression of interest process to be undertaken to appoint residents to this group;
  • Endorsing the revised Caravan Park Annexes, Caravan Park Fly Over and Asset Naming policies;
  • Approving a planning permit for the development of five dwellings at 16 Redgum Drive, Kerang, subject to conditions;
  • Endorsing the issuing of a Notice of Refusal to Grant a Permit for a proposed acoustic fence constructed of shipping containers planned for a Murray Valley Highway, Mystic Park property; and
  • Approving a planning permit for the installation of an illuminated major promotional sign, to be located on a Murray Valley Highway, Kerang property, subject to conditions.

Questions from the public relating to Council’s learn to swim program, engagement with the community, the future of the Kerang to Koondrook Rail Trail, the planning permit for the development of five dwellings at 16 Redgum Drive, Kerang, the planning permit application installation of an illuminated major promotional sign, to be located on a Murray Valley Highway, Kerang property, and resident concerns relating to improvements to a flood protection levee along the western bank of the Loddon River near Kerang and its impact on residents were also addressed.

For more information, including a link to the video from this meeting and minutes, please visit www.gsc.vic.gov.au/meetings

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