Council
25 September, 2025
Report highlights busy year for Mt Noorat
COUNCILLORS expressed their gratitude for volunteers after the latest annual report for Mount Noorat highlighted more than 500 volunteer hours was leading the iconic landmark from strength to strength.
Corangamite Shire councillors unanimously voted to receive the 2024-2025 Mount Noorat Management Committee Annual Report at this week’s Ordinary Meeting of Council.
The report before council showed the mount remained a popular destination for visitors.
Data collected from the counter installed at the walking track entrance showed an average of 15 visitors a day, or 460 people each month, making the climb.
The report noted the achievements of the Mount Noorat Management Committee over the past year, including the installation of new infrastructure, connection of fencing, ongoing maintenance and the hosting of a community planting day.
A Caring for Country event was also held which featured a Welcome to Country ceremony and a cultural talk with local elder Brett Clarke.
The year also saw the opening of the Acciona access track and viewing area, participating in the 2025 Four Peaks Challenge and the launch of a new website promoting Mount Noorat.
Councillors noted the ongoing support of volunteers, which accounts for hundreds of hours of activity at the mount.
Members of the committee contributed at least 400 recorded volunteer hours, with community members contributing an additional estimated 100 hours to projects over the past 12-months.
It was estimated the total in-kind labour at the mount totals $12,500 for the 2024-2025 year, based on an in-kind hourly rate of $25.
Councillor Geraldine Conheady, as mover, thanked committee members for their dedicated efforts.
“We’re so lucky we have people in our community who are prepared to come onto these committees and undertake the work that needs to be done on such beautiful natural assets as Mount Noorat,” she said.
“I really do appreciate the effort that goes in, so thank you very much to those committee members.”
The Mount Noorat land parcel over the 2024-2025 year brought in an income of $63,269.29 through a range of means including grazing license, communications tower leases and grant funding.
The leases provide income for the site and allow it to be managed without long-term financial support from council.
Over the past five years the Mount Noorat Management Committee has accumulated $180,000 in reserve.
The forecast income for Mt Noorat during 2024-2025 is $50,000 (excluding grant funding) and the projected expenditure for ongoing maintenance is $50,000.
The reserve funds will be allocated to future infrastructure projects, including construction of the viewing platform and shelter.
“There’s been a lot of work done in the past year,” Cr Conheady said.
“They’re doing a really beautiful job with the walking track, the new viewing platform to look forward to, a lot of planting and revegetation on the mountain.
“When you look at the list of committee achievements over the past year, they are obviously thinking very broadly about what the needs are to progress the enjoyment of the local community in that natural asset – caring for it and making sure it’s going to continue to be a beautiful destination for locals and visitors.
“I think it certainly has got a lot more potential for tourism but we can see through everything in this report, they have done a fantastic job.”
Councillor Ruth Gstrein, as seconder, praised the committee for its lengthy list of achievements over the year.
“They’re certainly an active committee,” she said.
“It’s amazing what they have achieved over the past 12-months with over 500 volunteer hours, which is a significant amount of time and a significant number of projects they have brought forward.
“I’d also like to mention their project officer, who works on the reserve about 16 hours per week, which certainly makes a difference.
“Mount Noorat, in difference to Mount Leura and Mount Sugarloaf, has an income stream with its towers on the top so they (the committee) receive significant money and they’re certainly putting it to good use.
“I’m very excited about some of the projects they’ve got coming up in this financial year so, again, congratulations to them and we thank them for their hard work.”
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