Council welcomes $10m Regional Growth Funding

Yarra Ranges Council has welcomed the recent news of a further $10 million in Federal Government funding for its Rivers and Ridges trails network.

Federal Member for Casey, Tony Smith MP, announced on Saturday, 30 March, that Yarra Ranges Council has been successful in its application for funding from the Federal Government’s Regional Growth Fund.

Yarra Ranges Mayor Tony Stevenson said the announcement brought the total Federal Government funding for Rivers and Ridges projects – including the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination, RidgeWalk, Yarra Valley Trail and the Warburton Community Recreation Precinct – to $15.3m.

“Projects of this scale can only be delivered in partnership with community and both Federal and State Government,” Cr Stevenson said.

“Thanks to this announcement from the Regional Growth Fund, the community can have certainty that these projects will go ahead.

“We’re proud of and thankful for the support we’ve received for these projects at every level, from the Federal and State Governments and our local elected representatives, right through to residents, community groups and local businesses, who will all benefit from this program.

Cr Stevenson said this additional funding from Federal Government completes the funding for Stage 1 of Rivers and Ridges Trails, ensuring that Council can push on with delivering over 160 kilometres of walking, cycling and mountain bike trails across the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges.

“These trails will boost the local economy and encourage more people to be physically active,” he said.

“This is all about building healthy communities, with economic studies demonstrating that this extensive trail network will generate 525 new local jobs and an $80.8M annual increase in economic activity.”

“Yarra Ranges is the playground of Melbourne and Victoria’s number one tourist destination.

“As a Council, we’re excited by the prospects of more local jobs and opportunities in our towns and villages, particularly more local youth employment.”

Stage 1 of Rivers and Ridges trails will deliver:

The Warburton Mountain Bike Destination Stage 1 delivering 110km of world class mountain bike trails ­– along with the new Warburton Community Recreation Precinct’s Stage 2. This provides more active and attractive recreation opportunities in the Upper Yarra Valley The Yarra Valley Trail Stage 1  –  a 11.5km walking and cycling trail linking Lilydale to Yarra Glen, offering an attractive, family friendly trail across the beautiful Yarra Valley The RidgeWalk – a 39km walking track across the ridgeline of the majestic Dandenong Ranges, linking towns and villages, and delivering an engaging cultural and educational experience

The Rivers and Ridges trails complement the 40 km Lilydale-Warburton Rail Trail which attracts more than 300,000 visitors each year. The visitation of the rail trail grows by about 20 per cent each year.

Tenders awarded for Yarra Valley Trail and Warburton Mountain Bike Destination Stage 1

Council awarded tenders for the Yarra Valley Trail and Warburton Mountain Bike Destination Stage 1 at its meeting on Tuesday, 26 March.

The Yarra Valley Trail Project will be delivered by local company Kent Environmental and Vegetation Management. Construction for Stage 1A of the Yarra Valley Trail will start in April 2019, between Beresford Road, Lilydale and MacIntyre Lane, Yering.

Stage 1 of the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination project will be delivered by World Trail. The process will involve finalising the design before construction starts.

World Trail is a recognised industry leading design and construction company and will bring significant national and international experience in the design and delivery of world class mountain bike destinations. Among their successful projects is the famous Blue Derby, a destination that has delivered great outcomes for tourism, the economy and jobs in North West Tasmania.

A construction date will be announced following further consultation with stakeholders and the community.

The ongoing development of the master plan will include a series of recently completed reports, such as a historic heritage survey, environmental report peer review, traffic and transport study, social and recreational impacts study and a peer review of the current draft master plan.

In addition to these reports, Council is progressing the Warburton Place Plan by working with residents and visitors. This community led planning exercise will help guide decisions about the town and how it may change over time.