THERE may be 397 days left until Victoria’s state election on November 28, 2026, but as far as the Mitchell Shire Council (MSC) is concerned, the race begins now as Council calls for multiple projects to be prioritised.
MSC gathered at last Monday’s council meeting to endorse five key projects as the biggest priorities for the next state election.
Council has highlighted five priority projects it wants to see backed by future state and federal representatives: the Beveridge Train Station and associated future electrification of the rail line, the Greenhill Recreation Precinct, the Hilldene Employment Precinct, Kilmore Secondary School, and the Kilmore Bypass.
During discussions, several councillors reinforced the importance of these projects, with the proposed Beveridge Train Station and electrification of the line drawing particular support. The Beveridge station was noted as critical not only to meet the needs of the growing local population, but also to ensure the town is ready for the planned electrification of the rail network through to Beveridge, a step that would deliver faster, more reliable public transport and better connections to Melbourne.
Councillor Riley Evans said securing funding and commitment for the Beveridge rail works must be a key priority for government stakeholders heading into the next election, describing it as “essential infrastructure for a rapidly expanding community”.
“Beveridge rail is incredibly important, we have a population coming on 10,000,” he said.
“I would like to see the Beveridge station be pushed as a main priority by the State Government, we’ve made it loud and clear and front and centre. It’s incredibly frustrating when we have to go hat in hand to these stakeholders, explain the issues we have in these communities, and growing up in Wallan, understanding the issues we have.
“The services were stretched 15 years ago, and they are awfully stretched now. Giving people access to be able to get to the city and education and employment opportunities, the Beveridge station would go a long way.
“I urge people to contact your state and federal MPs and implore them to provide better infrastructure. It’s not what we think you need, it’s what you deserve. And the Beveridge station is something that the people of Beveridge and Wallan and surrounding small towns deserve.”
Councillor Bob Cornish backed Cr Evans, saying the project was a ‘no-brainer’.
“I’d like to see this Beveridge train station progress, not in 10 or 15 years,” he said.
“Further forward, I’ve been fortunate enough to catch a train at Beveridge when I first moved to Wallan, and it was taken away.
“The needs are going to grow and grow. There’s a great lack of infrastructure in the area. But having said that, with the interstate freight terminal starting next year, this will provide a platform for persons to come to Beveridge from outside of Beveridge, from Seymour, all the way down to get jobs.
“The need for it is there already, with another 140-150,000 people moving in there, it’s a no-brainer not to do it.”
Speaking on the Kilmore Secondary School project, Councillor Nathan Clark said it was something that was simply getting too hard to ignore.
“Any prospective politician who is going to run again, or run as an independent, or someone who might be in the opposing party, if they want to put their hand up, we’ve provided a really handy shopping list of success here,” he said.
“The Kilmore Secondary School is something that is long overdue. In the notes, it makes note that Kilmore is Victoria’s largest standalone township without a public secondary school.
“As the town continues to grow and develop, the need for this public service is becoming urgent, the community are clear this is needed now.
“One of the stories I tell about Kilmore’s need for a secondary school is that a Kilmore student who attends Broadford High School will travel from Kilmore on a bus from the first day of year seven to the last day of year 12, all those bus trips add up to one trip around the circumference of the earth. That’s a long time for a kid to spend on a bus. Multiply that by all the kids, that’s a lot of human time stuck on a bus.
“Quite frankly, with the growth that we’ve got south-east of Kilmore, the growth that will be coming out the west as well, the change in demographics, the need is clear, it’s urgent that that be undertaken now, considering the land acquisition that’s required and all the bits and pieces that need to line up for that.
“What that would mean is better education outcomes for people in Kilmore, and that will follow them through life. I encourage my fellow councillors to endorse this.”
Councillor Timothy Hanson also spoke passionately about the needs of the town.
“Currently, we do not have a high school in Kilmore, and it’s something that’s much needed,” he said.
“In the last census, the population of Kilmore was 9207 which included 1224 high-school aged children.
“Those children get split up between the schools of Whittlesea, Wallan, Broadford and Assumption College. Unfortunately, not all families in Kilmore can afford to send their children to a private school, so a public school is the only option they have.
“This is a much-needed addition to town.
“I don’t know how we got to a point where one of the bigger towns in the Shire doesn’t have a high school of its own. All of our neighbours in the Shire have high schools.”
The motion to support these projects as key priorities for the next state election was voted unanimously by Council.
