Minister for Regional Development, Mary-Anne Thomas, has announced local councils and eligible organisations can apply for grants under the second round of the Regional Infrastructure Fund – enabling councils to seek up to $3 million for community projects.
This second round is open until 30 July 2021, following an earlier stimulus round that has supported local economies as they recover from the global pandemic – working to create more jobs whilst improving tourism and community infrastructure.
Projects supported as part of the Stimulus Round feature the redevelopment of historic tourist railways at Bullarto in the Macedon Ranges and at Drysdale on the Bellarine Peninsula.
The Regional Infrastructure Fund is part of the Government’s flagship $156 million Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund, which helps businesses create jobs in regional Victoria, supports community projects and backs councils to build the infrastructure that locals and visitors need.
Ms Thomas said she believes this round of funding will support the recovery of rural communities.
“This round of the Regional Infrastructure Fund supports the recovery of regional communities across our state and will ensure Victoria continues to have our nation’s most vibrant regional economies,” Ms Thomas said.
“Our continued investment in regional and rural Victoria will provide ongoing job opportunities and better facilities for locals and visitors right across our state, making our regions even better places to live, work, visit and invest.”
The Fund has also supported the development of an industrial estate in Bannockburn, a regional botanical garden for the small northern Victorian town of Girgarre and significant support for streetscape works at Wonthaggi.
The second round will build on this investment and enable even more projects to be supported, creating additional jobs for regional and rural Victorians.
The Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund is part of the government’s almost $30 billion investment in rural and regional Victoria since 2015.
Information and guidelines for the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund can be found here.
