Community
30 July, 2025
Communities share $177k in grants
CORANGAMITE Shire councillors have allocated $177,868 to be shared among 84 groups and individuals under the latest round of the Council Grants Programs 2025-2026.
Councillors voted to allocate the funding and in-kind support at its July Ordinary Meeting of Council last Tuesday.
“We just love giving away money,” Corangamite Shire mayor councillor Kate Makin said.
“These programs are a practical way to support community groups, individuals and businesses to achieve their own priorities and goals.”
Cr Makin said applications had opened in April, with the popular funding streams proving well subscribed.
“All applications were checked against eligibility guidelines and independently scored by three assessors,” she said.
“This process aims to make sure the recipients have the capacity to deliver successful projects that benefit the wider community.”
The Events and Festivals Grant Program saw $58,000 allocated to provide funding and in-kind support for events and festivals which increase visitation and stimulate economic activity in the shire.
The popular Port Campbell festival Crayfest is one of the shire’s signature events and automatically received $7000 in funding under this stream.
Cobden Miniature Railway, Kidding Around Cobden, Cobden Recreation Reserve, Cobden Pioneer Park, Heytesbury Pony Club and Timboon Entertainment, Arts and Music all benefitted, receiving $3000 each.
The Cobden Miniature Railway will be putting together the 70th Annual Australian Association of Live Streamers Easter Convention, while the Cobden Recreation Reserve will be using the funding for the Cobden Gift.
Cobden Pioneer Park will put their funding towards the Cobden Pioneer Park swap meet, motor show and family day, the Heytesbury Pony Club will run the Heytesbury Horse Trials 2026, Timboon Entertainments, Arts and Music will run the popular Tracks festival again and Kidding Around Cobden will come back for another year.
A total of $43,837 was awarded under the Community Grants program, which provides funding to community groups for workshops and equipment purchases, development of new community and cultural programs, community projects, activities and events and planning activities.
This included $2000 each for the Cobden Scouts to purchase a trailer, the Rotary Club of Cobden to put together the 25th birthday of the mini golf, Simpson and District Community Centre for the Simpson Country Christmas, Timboon Entertainment, Arts and Music for carols in the amphitheatre, Progressing Cobden for Christmas in Cobden 2025 and Heytesbury District Landcare Network for an education program to encourage indoor cats and cat enclosures.
Cobden and District Orchid Club received $1000 for their well-loved annual show and the Quota Friends of Rotary also received $1000 in preparation for the Cobden Carols by Candlelight 2025.
The Enabling Grants program provided $9500 in financial assistance to community groups to develop shovel-ready projects which are properly planned and cost-effective, enabling project implementation and delivery funding to be sought.
This included $5000 in funding for the Darlington Mechanics Institute and Recreation Reserve to heighten town signage.
The Facility Grants program provides financial assistance to committees of management to assist with improvements at council’s halls and recreation reserves.
This included $2000 each to Heytesbury Pony Club for wash bay improvement, Cobden Amateur Angling Club to purchase a water tank, Cobden District Health services for an aquatic plant and equipment audit, Cobden Recreation Reserve Committee for security and safety lighting, Corangamite Lions Football Club for changeroom upgrades, Progressing Cobden for Cobden free camp fencing and the Rotary Club of Cobden for the refurbishment of the mini golf clubhouse.
There were other small grants provided, including $1254.55 to Bostocks Creek Public Hall for the installation of a new kitchen, $1771.76 to Cobden Bowling Club for a sun shelter upgrade, $465.85 to the Cobrico Hall committee for a replacement of the storeroom window, $662.53 to Red Hill Public Hall for the maintenance of the hall exterior and installation of internal window blinds and $625 to the Timboon Recreation Reserve committee for a new security system.
The Environment Support Grants program provides funding to undertake environmental and sustainability projects across the Corangamite Shire to further enhance the environment and support sustainability projects within the community.
This year funding included $1500 for Elingamite Cobrico Landcare Group towards revegetation efforts on the south side of Lake Elingamite, $5225 to Heytesbury District Landcare Network for north-south road bike trail planting and cuttings to seedlings, $2680 to the Camperdown-Timboon Rail Trail committee for weed control and $3000 to Westline Dairy to extend shelterbelts.
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