Barwon South West - securing a sustainable environment for the future
Like all Victorian communities, the Barwon South West region has a critical role to play in achieving our goal of becoming Australia’s first sustainable State.
The Barwon South West region covers the natural and built environment from the South Australian border to Geelong and Queenscliff and from the south coast to the Southern Grampians.
What will happen in the Barwon South West region?
The following initiatives will be funded over the next year to boost sustainability in the households, local Councils, businesses and industries of Barwon South West.
Through Our Environment, Our Future the Victorian Government will:
Continue to support Landcare by providing funding for Regional Coordinators in Colac and Hamilton.
Protect Barwon South West’s heritage rivers under landmark legislation that protects them from being dammed. Areas that will be protected include:
- Glenelg River Heritage Area
- Aire River Heritage Area
Protect Barwon South West’s coastline by ensuring the region shares in $1 million from the Victorian Government’s Moving Forward, Victoria’s Provincial Statement to help coastal councils manage change through strategic township planning.
- $600,000 will be allocated to work with Councils to implement the Coastal Spaces Landscape Assessment and Great Ocean Road Region Landscape Assessment studies.
- $325,000 of Commonwealth National Heritage Trust funding will go to develop policy and guidelines to address coastal acid sulfate soils.
Help the fishing industry to work sustainably by focusing on building the industry’s sustainability skills base. Specific initiatives include training Indigenous workers and working with Seaford Services Australia on training programs that adhere to the National Guideline Standards for environmental sustainability training.
Improve Take-Back and Recycling for priority products including electronic and electrical goods, household chemicals and paint tins. Goods will be taken apart, useable resources will be recycled and the residual waste safely disposed of. This will include:
$2 million for ‘Byteback’ facilities across the State, including in Geelong. These facilities will provide a place to safely dispose of old (and toxic) computer equipment.
Invest in Barwon South West Neighbourhood Renewal project:
- $95,000 to Colac Neighbourhood Renewal Community and Colac Otway Shire for the Lake Colac Improvement & Urban Renewal Linkage Project. The project will see unemployed residents employed to upgrade facilities, install signage and rehabilitate the local environmental.
Invest in Local Government Sustainability Accord projects for the Barwon South West region. These projects are:
- $110,000 to Moyne Shire Council to carry out a land capability and biodiversity program that will enable the mapping of sustainable land use in Moyne Shire. The findings will be incorporated as overlays for the Council’s planning scheme.
Invest in local projects relevant to the Barwon South West region through the Sustainability Fund. These projects are:
- $110,000 for the Surf Coast Shire to implement Sustainability at Home and Beyond. Through workshops, home visits and information sharing, this project will highlight practical measures Surf Coast residents can put in place to make their homes sustainable.
