Join the campaign for a Culture and Connection Precinct in Baw Baw

As a new round of state and federal funding approaches, Baw Baw Shire Council and Myli have united to encourage locals to add their voice to the campaign for a Culture and Connection Precinct in Baw Baw. 

This advocacy campaign seeks to secure the state and federal funding required to begin building Phase One - an inclusive, future-oriented library, exhibition space and community centre for the people of Baw Baw Shire and beyond.  

The landmark $30 million Library and Learning Centre is the first phase of the Baw Baw Civic Precinct Masterplan adopted by Council in 2021. It addresses long-term community demand for shared working and meeting facilities, a local municipal exhibition space and a new fit-for-purpose, state-of-the-art home for Myli’s small, outdated Warragul library branch.  The new precinct has been designed to be inclusive and accessible to our community’s diverse needs, including accessible collaborative spaces, parent’s room and a Changing Places facility. 

Led by the Baw Baw Culture and Connection Precinct Project Reference Group, (an assembly of councillors, community leaders and key stakeholders), a coordinated letter-writing campaign is now underway. The campaign calls on local MPs and ministers to put their support behind Council’s government funding applications for this new social precinct.  

Residents are urged to join the campaign by visiting  www.advancingbawbaw.com/culture. This site gives residents quick and easy access to a letter of support that is emailed directly to all local MPs and relevant ministers. Residents can choose to use a provided template or send a personalised message of their own. Either way, the process only takes a few minutes but can make a tremendous impact. 

Baw Baw Shire Council has committed $10 million to Phase One of the Culture and Connection Precinct and has successfully obtained a $3.5 million grant from the Victorian Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund and a $1 million grant from the Living Libraries Fund. With $15.5 million to go, every new community voice will help to add weight to Council’s funding campaign.  

Quotes attributable to Mayor of Baw Baw Shire Cr Annemarie McCabe 

“When it comes to advocacy, the voice of our community is our most valuable tool. The more voices we have highlighting the need and desire for the Culture and Connection Precinct, the stronger our case and the harder we are to ignore.” 

“We are encouraging our community to help support our funding applications by visiting the campaign website and putting your name to a letter that will reach all local MPs and relevant ministers, explaining why the project will make a meaningful difference to you and to the Baw Baw community. 

“The benefits of this precinct will span generations. You can help champion the project by talking it up to your friends and networks, sharing it on social media, and by joining our quick and easy online letter-writing campaign.   

“Just go to the campaign page, share your thoughts about why the government should co-fund the Culture and Connection Precinct and hit send!” 

Quote attributable to Baw Baw Culture and Connection Precinct Project Reference Group Chair Cr Danny Goss 

“With a growing population our community is in desperate need of updated infrastructure. This exciting new project, which encompasses a new Library and Learning Centre, will deliver a vital and inspiring piece of infrastructure for our community.It will form an important cornerstone of the entire Baw Baw Culture and Connection Precinct.

We know that government funding schemes are looking particularly competitive this year. So, on behalf of the Culture and Connection Precinct Project Reference Group, I invite everyone in our community to look to the future and add their voices to this campaign. The greater the number of voices heard, the better the chance of this project happening.” 

Quotes attributable to Myli CEO, Leanne Williams 

“We’d love our members – and everyone in the Baw Baw community - to get behind this campaign. Our community is being short changed while our local Warragul library branch remains confined by our current location. We need and deserve a fit-for-purpose, state-of-the-art library and community space that is inclusive and accessible to all.” 

“We know from the Libraries Victoria Census that participation in Myli library programs for entertainment and social connection is 9% above the statewide average - but we just cannot deliver to our full potential in our current Warragul location.  The Culture and Connection Precinct’s Library and Learning Centre will give us the ability to welcome more people, offer more diverse programming and be a safe and welcoming centre of community and learning for all ages.”