Wellington Shire Council has released its 2025/26 Draft Budget, focusing on maintaining roads, essential services, and council-owned assets while addressing cost-of-living pressures and finding internal savings.
As council enters the final year of its current Council Plan, the budget ensures ongoing delivery of essential services to the community while addressing financial challenges. Savings have been achieved through a management restructure following a recent organisational review.
Wellington Shire Council Mayor, Cr Scott Rossetti advised councillors to support the removal of two senior management roles to strengthen long-term financial stability.
“By streamlining our structure, we’re ensuring council remains financially sustainable while protecting the services our community relies on,” he said.
“We’re also investing in quality infrastructure and ensuring our people, places, and spaces are resilient in an evolving economic and environmental landscape. This budget sets us up to deliver on our next Council Plan and key actions while tightening our belt to safeguard services for the next five years.”
Across Victoria, councils are doing more with less as state funding declines. Wellington Shire faces additional challenges from a sharp increase in the State Government’s Fire Services Levy, now the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund which will see local ratepayers hit with hikes of up to 130 per cent and an additional $5.5 million collected. None of this money stays within Wellington
Shire, adding further strain
to property owners and council services.
Despite these challenges, The Middle of Everywhere continues to offer opportunities to live, work, play and invest. This year’s budget focuses on maintaining costs while delivering
the infrastructure and
services our community
needs and expects.
Council has allocated $58.9 million to capital works, with $43.4 million funded from council operations and $15.5 million from external grants and contributions. Roads remain a priority, with $24.8 million for road resealing and re-sheeting, and $5.9 million allocated to bridges and drainage.
Key projects include:
– Loch Sport Seagull Drive Boat Ramp renewal – $280,000
– Dargo Wonnangatta Road retaining wall rehabilitation – $600,000
– Meerlieu Bush Road reconstruction – $700,000
– Maffra Thomson Street reconstruction – $300,000
– Maffra Resource Recovery Facility construction – $500,000
– Valencia Creek Moroka Road slip rectification – $400,000
In addition to the Capital Works Program, council will spend an additional $6.3 million for rural road maintenance, covering reseals, drainage, gravel roads resheeting, bridge and major culvert works and roadside vegetation management.
Council is investing more than $300,000 to upgrade playgrounds across the Shire. Planned upgrades include Coongulla Recreation Reserve, Perry Court in Heyfield, Cameron Court/Dwyer Court in Maffra, Walpole Court in Yarram and Lake Guthridge outdoor fitness equipment in Sale.
The Wedge Performing Arts Centre will receive a much-needed refurbishment to upgrade toilet facilities, improve accessibility, and enhance backstage areas to support community theatre groups and schools.
The $23 million Aqua Energy Leisure Centre redevelopment continues with works set to deliver a new 25m indoor pool featuring a revised depth profile and entry ramp, a zero-depth water play area and accessibility and modern facilities in the first half of the 2025/26 financial year.
Council is also preparing to expand its kerbside collection services to include Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO). Funding of $1.3 million has been allocated to supply and deliver a third FOGO ‘green’ bin in preparation for a 2026 rollout.
“With rising costs, a three per cent rate cap imposed by the Victorian Government’s Essential Services Commission, and reduced state and federal grants, Council is carefully managing expenditure, prioritising local needs, and making tough decisions in a constrained funding environment,” Cr Rossetti said.
