• Kyneton to benefit from AUS$641,000 water saving project
KYNETON, Victoria, Australia, June 18, 2010 -- Kyneton's ovals will be greener and safer and the town will save up to 24 megalitres of water a year, thanks to a AUS$641,000 water recycling project backed by the Brumby Labor Government.
In the Southern Loddon region today for a community briefing about the new $631 million Ready for Tomorrow: A Blueprint for Regional and Rural Victoria, Regional and Rural Development Minister Jacinta Allan said the Government would contribute $250,000 towards the project.
"Ready for Tomorrow delivers a new vision, backed by record funding, to secure the future prosperity of regional and rural Victoria," Ms Allan said.
"As we prepare to roll out the latest action and investment for families in Victoria's regions through Ready for Tomorrow, we're still supporting small towns such as Kyneton from our existing initiatives such as the Small Towns Development Fund.
"Kyneton has been affected by a number of years of drought, and its sporting fields had been severely impacted by the lack of available water.
"The community has a long tradition of participation in district sports and has had to move several events from these grounds as they were unsuitable and unsafe, which has had detrimental social, economic and health impacts on residents.
"That is why we will work in partnership with Coliban Water and Macedon Ranges Shire Council to help deliver year-round access to green grounds and encourage new events such as tournaments back into the town."
Ms Allan said the new water saving project included:
• Construction of an 800 metre pipeline to extend the existing main at Kyneton Racecourse Reserve to Barkly Square, and connection to the reticulated watering system on the sports ground;
• Construction of a pump station at Barkly Square to pump treated water to the Kyneton Showgrounds;
• Construction of a 1300 metre pipeline to deliver treated water from Barkly Square to the Showgrounds and connection to the existing reticulated watering system on the two ovals; and
• Installation of plumbing works, signage and technology to link treated water use into the centrally managed remote control irrigation system.
Ms Allan said the recycled water would replace 24 megalitres of drinking water each year, meaning more water for residents.
Member for Ballarat East Geoff Howard said the project was a great example of the practical, community-driven initiatives supported by the Brumby Labor Government's Small Towns Development Fund.
"To date, this fund has provided $55.8 million toward 515 community and social infrastructure projects worth in excess of $114.1 million across provincial Victoria," he said.
Member for Macedon Joanne Duncan said Coliban Water would provide $200,000 and Macedon Ranges Shire Council $191,000 towards the project, in addition to the Brumby Labor Government's $250,000 contribution.
Meanwhile, Ms Allan, Mr Howard and Ms Duncan today met with community representatives at a special briefing in Woodend to explain how the local community would benefit under Ready for Tomorrow.
"Over the last decade we've put the heart back into regional and rural Victoria," Ms Allan said.
"Ready for Tomorrow is about building on that work and driving a new era of opportunity and prosperity in regional Victoria."
Ready for Tomorrow commits $631 million across five key strategies:
• $110.1 million for Investing in Skills and Young People with a new tertiary education package to deliver more opportunities in tertiary education for young people and to make it more attractive for them to stay in or return to the regions. It includes new targets to increase enrolments and graduates, new infrastructure support to encourage investment in student accommodation and for TAFE and university facilities, leadership and cadetship programs, a new youth strategy and support to develop new regional leaders;
• Backing Jobs and Industry with $99.4 million towards a new action plan to create thousands of new jobs, boost regional industries and help small business. It outlines a commitment to grow government jobs in the state's regions, drive up skills, training and exports, support farmers, the food and beverage industry and tourism growth;
• $203.9 million for Building Infrastructure, Connecting Communities to provide regional Victorians with world-class infrastructure in water, cleaner energy, transport and industry development, improvements to broadband services, local roads, timber roads, bridges, bus service expansion as well as more affordable housing;
• $158.4 million for Supporting the Regional and Rural Way of Life with funding for sports clubs, cultural activities and community. It includes infrastructure and amenities support for the well-being of older people in small communities, promoting regional Victoria as a great place to live and work, a boost to programs to help landholders manage vegetation with funding available for building performing arts centres, galleries and other civic amenities; and
• Planning Better Regions -- A New Partnership backed by $58.9 million to establish a new approach to regional planning and development including significant funding to support the planning and design of regional cities and towns, support for the development of new growth areas in regional cities, support for future planning in coastal areas and local government. It also includes grants to local councils for future planning work and expertise within local councils, fast-tracking projects to help local communities adapt to climate change and support for smaller councils.
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