By Dongyun Kwon
Yarra Ranges Council proposed the 2025-26 draft budget at the latest council meeting and is calling for community members’ feedback.
Ryrie Ward councillor Fiona McAllister commented on the draft budget during the council meeting.
Cr McAllister said she is looking forward to hearing the community’s voice regarding it.
“I completely agree we have to spend the money in the best way we can for our community,” she said.
“Whilst I’m sure this budget is not perfect, I know there have been more intense and more conversations about this budget than probably any other budgets we’ve ever had, even during Covid, which was the trickiest time to think about impacts on communities … We’ve had a higher level of community engagement in the budget than we’ve ever had at my time on council, which is fairly long, and there has been a lot of community interest in terms of this document and getting it right.
“So let’s see what comes in. But again, there is a big, messy context that sits behind it in the fact that we are just not getting the money we used to in scenarios like fires, floods and storms that we used to, the frequency has increased, and we’re not getting the financial support, and we are one of the most disaster-prone councils in Australia.”
The following are the draft budget allocations for each town in the Yarra Valley.
In Yering:
$100,000 will go towards the renewal of the existing trail at Spadonis Reserve.
In Coldstream:
Over $2 million has been allocated for the rehabilitation of Victoria Road from Kingsburgh Lane to Flowerfield Drive while $554,000 has been put for rehabilitation of the same road between Switchback Road to Kingsburgh Lane.
Station Street will have a drainage with $469,000 of investment.
In Yarra Glen:
Rehabilitation of the existing footpath on Miriam Drive will cost $25,000.
Design and construction of a footpath on Yarra Street between Bell Street and Yarraview Road will cost $198,000.
In Healesville:
George Road and Lalors Road will get a new easement drainage through a $314,000 investment.
$400,000 will go towards the construction of drainage upgrades between 1 Hazford Street and the creek.
$9000 will be invested for park signage upgrades in the town.
Don Road Community Pavilion will be redeveloped with a $300,000 budget allocation.
“We know that the Don (Road) Reserve, as a top priority, was sitting there for ages. All of a sudden we get the money from a government grant,” Yarra Ranges mayor Jim Child said.
“We know the prioritisation changes, so the next one sits there, but for how long. We can’t progress that project any further, but there’s an expectation out there in the community. ‘Well, you’ve done all the work, you’re ready to go, let’s get started’.
“But we can’t do that with our income stream that we’ve got.”
$369,000 has been allocated for the rehabilitation of existing footpaths on Badger Creek Road and $18,000 for Cornish Road.
$87,000 will go towards the design and construction of a missing footpath link on Newgrove Road and Crowley Road between Harker Street and Lalors Lane.
Green Street’s open space will be improved through $250,000 of investment.
$453,000 has been allocated for the improvements to the dog off-leash area at Coronation Park.
Yarra Ranges Council will keep supporting to improve Aboriginal health and wellbeing by providing a range of support to Oonah Health and Community Services Aboriginal Corporation to establish the Healesville Belonging Place, an integrated Aboriginal health facility.
The council will also keep working on Yarra Valley Trail in the following years.
Over $2.7 million has been allocated for Stage 1 and $3.9 million for Stage 2A of over 40km of trail to link Lilydale, Yarra Glen, Healesville and join into the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail throughout the two financial years.
