Contents

Introduction

Regions by RWMG and councils

SV contacts for regions (March 2014)

Acronyms

Map:Strategic Coordinators and Regional Waste Management Groups

Barwon South West

Regional features

Key facts

Demography

Political context

Regional context

Regional priorities

Economic profile

Industry profile by subregion

Funded sustainability project examples

SWOT analysis

Further reading

Sustainability Victoria
Level 28, Urban Workshop
50 Lonsdale Street Melbourne 3000

T 1300 363 744
E
sustainability.vic.gov.au

© Sustainability Victoria 2014

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Disclaimer

Information in this document is current as at February 2014. While all professional care has been taken in preparing this document, Sustainability Victoria accepts no liability for loss or damages incurred as a result of reliance placed upon its content.

Introduction

This document provides a snapshot of the Barwon South Westregion. It is not an exhaustive compilation of regional information, but instead focuses on information that is considered relevant to SV’s priority outcomes in integrated waste management and resource efficiency.

It has been produced by SV’s Strategic Coordinator based in the region. Information has been drawn from plans and strategies, including regional strategic plans andgrowth plans, and other documents, as well as discussions with key regional personnel.

This document aims to assist SV staff to understand regional conditions so that SV and our stakeholders (e.g. Regional Waste Management Groups) can

•Work more effectively across the portfolio

•Design and develop relevant programs and projects

•Prepare their business plans.

Regions by RWMG and councils

Region

/

RWMG and Executive Officer

/

LGA/councils

Barwon South West / *Barwon RWMG
Enzo Bruscella / Colac Otway Shire Council
Greater Geelong City Council
Queenscliffe Borough Council
Surf Coast Shire Council
*South Western RWMG
(Waste Reduction Group)
Cydoni Edwards / Corangamite Shire Council
Glenelg Shire Council
Moyne Shire Council
Southern Grampians Shire Council
Warrnambool City Council
Gippsland / *Gippsland RWMG
Mathew Peake / Bass Coast Shire Council
Baw Baw Shire Council
East Gippsland Shire Council
Latrobe City Council
South Gippsland Shire Council
Wellington Shire Council
Grampians / *Desert Fringe RWMG
Wayne Lovett / Hindmarsh Shire Council
West Wimmera Shire Council
*Grampians RWMG
Kerrie Tomkins / Ararat Rural City Council
Horsham Rural City Council
Northern Grampians Shire Council
Yarriambiack Shire Council
*Highlands RWMG
Philip Clingin / Ballarat City Council
Central Goldfields Shire Council
Golden Plains Shire Council
Hepburn Shire Council
Moorabool Shire Council
Pyrenees Shire Council
Hume / *Goulburn Valley RWMG
(Resource GV)
Nick Nagle / Campaspe Shire Council
Greater Shepparton City Council
Mitchell Shire Council
Moira Shire Council
Murrindindi Shire Council
Strathbogie Shire Council
*North Eastern RWMG
(NevRwaste)
Brooke Hermans / Alpine Shire Council
Benalla Rural City Council
Indigo Shire Council
Mansfield Shire Council
Towong Shire Council
Wangaratta Rural City Council
Wodonga Rural City Council
(and three Alpine resorts)
Loddon Mallee / *Calder RWMG
Peter Chudek / Greater Bendigo City Council
Macedon Ranges Shire Council
Mount Alexander Shire Council
*Central Murray RWMG
Karen Fazzani / Buloke Shire Council
Gannawarra Shire Council
Loddon Shire Council
Swan Hill Rural City Council
*Mildura RWMG
Amanda Blakney/Melanie Bell / Mildura Rural City Council

*NB. The ministerial Advisory Committee has recommended amalgamation of RWMG’s. As recommendations are enacted by government, revision to this document will be made.

SV contacts for regions (March 2014)

Division

/

Barwon South West

/

Gippsland

/

Grampians

/

Hume

/

Loddon-Mallee

Engagement

Statewide Engagement Team
Manager : Andrew Straker (03) 8626 8813
Strategic Coordinators / Amy O’Brien
0418 149068 / Luke Wilkinson
0427 850 478 / Trish Kevin
0409 060109 / Martina Rienzner
0408 110 431 / Kristy Roche
0419 311 765
Education Team
Manager : Jane Liefman (03) 8626 8861
Claire Ruedin
(03) 86268747 / Simon Hum
(03) 8626 8793 / Candyce Presland
(03) 86268774 / Simon Hum
(03) 86268793 / Candyce Presland
(03) 86268774

Integrated Waste Management

Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy
Manager : David Cocks (03) 86268765
Barwon
Andrew Buzacott
(03) 86566701
South West Marcus Fogarty
(03) 86268788 / Gippsland
Val McGregor
(03) 86268742 / Highlands
Nick Bailey
(03) 86268824
Grampians
Ben Stephenson
(03) 86268807
Desert Fringe BenStephenson
(03) 86268807 / Goulburn Valley
Nicola Thom
(03) 86268726
NorthEasternDavid Cocks
(03) 86268765 / Calder
David Cocks
(03) 86268765
Central Murray
Nick Bailey
(03) 86268824
Mildura
Kelly Wickham
(03) 86268820

Resource Efficiency

Business Productivity Team
Manager: Katrina Woolfe (03) 86268823
Yolanda Sztarr
(03) 86268843 / Nick Katsanevakis
(03) 86268755 / Andrew Haus
(03) 86268874 / Helen Scott
(03) 86268855 / Kel Dummett
(03) 86268729

Acronyms

ABS / Australian Bureau of Statistics
ALP / Australian Labor Party
CBD / Central Business District
CMA / Catchment Management Authority
DSDBI / Department of State Development, Business and Innovation
DEECD / Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
DTPLI / Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure
DEPI / Department of Environment and Primary Industries
EEIG / Energy Efficiency Information Grant
EPA / Environmental Protection Agency
HACC / Home and community care
IWM / Integrated waste management
kV / Kilovolts (equivalent to 1000 volts)
LGA / Local government area
LP / Liberal Party of Australia
LPO / Litter Prevention Officer
MAC / Ministerial Advisory Committee on Waste and Resource Recovery Governance Reform, 2013
NP / National Party of Australia
RDA / Regional Development Australia
RDV / Regional Development Victoria
ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic / ResourceSmart Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative Victoria
RMF / Regional Management Forum
RWMG / Regional Waste Management Group
SME / Small to medium sized enterprise
SV / Sustainability Victoria
SV2015 / SV’s Strategic Plan 2012–15
TAFE / Technical and Further Education
VECCI / Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Regional Strategic Coordinators and Regional Waste Management Groups

Strategic Regional Coordinators / Luke Wilkinson
DEPI office, Traralgon
T 1300 363 744
M 0427 850 478 / Martina Reinzner
DEPI office, Seymour
T 5735 4330
M 0408 110 431 / Kristy Roche
DEPI office,
Epsom
T 5430 4544
M 0419 311 765 / Trish Kevin
DEPI office,
Ballarat
T 5336 6856
M 0409 060 109 / Amy O’Brien
DEPI office,
Colac
T 5233 5549
M 0418 149 068 / Kim Johnson
Ray Liversidge
SV office Melbourne
T 1300 363 744
Region / Gippsland / Hume / Loddon Mallee / Grampians / Barwon South West / Metropolitan
Population / 260,766 / 309,986 / 278,395 / 224,636 / 373,191

1 |Regional Profiles – Further reading

Regional features

Features

/

Details

Subregions / *Barwon RWMG / Colac Otway Shire Council
Greater Geelong City Council
Queenscliffe Borough Council
Surf Coast Shire Council
*SouthWesternRWMG
(WasteReductionGroup) / Corangamite Shire Council
Glenelg Shire Council
Moyne Shire Council
Southern Grampians Shire Council
Warrnambool City Council
Two subregions: The BarwonRegion (G21) and the Great South Coast.
Prominent towns: Geelong and Warrnambool
Geographical features / Great Ocean Road, Great Otway National Park, surf beaches, Barwon River
Transport / Two bulk ports at Geelong and Portland (Corio Bay and Portland Ports)
Avalon Airport and rural airports in Hamilton, Portland and Warrnambool.
Established rail network.
Major roads and travel times / From / To / Route / Distance (km) / Travel (hours)
Geelong / South Australia border / Princes Highway / 368 / 4:23
Torquay / Warrnambool / Great Ocean Road / 254 / 3:54
Geelong / Hamilton / Hamilton Highway / 233 / 2:50
Portland / Hamilton / Henty Highway / 85 / 1:02
Key infrastructure / Existing 550 kV electricity transmission line
Shell oil refinery
Aluminium smelters in Point Henry (to be closed 2014) and Portland
Coal mine and power station in Anglesea (future unknown)
Renewable energy – wind farms and geothermal
Black Rock Water Reclamation Plant, Barwon Water
Blue Circle Southern Cement kilns
Gas fields in the Otway basin
Ports- Corio and Portland
Mineral sand processing at Hamilton
Meat processing at Warrnambool, Geelong and Colac
Licensed landfills – Naroghid, Portland, Hamilton, Anglesea, Drysdale, and inert landfills at Killarney, Alvie and Fyansford

*NB. The ministerial Advisory Committee has recommended amalgamation of RWMG’s. As recommendations are enacted by government, revision to this document will be made.

Key facts

•Barwon South West has 800 km of coastline which is 40% of Victoria’s coast.

•The region has nine LGAs under two subregions.

•The regional centre, Geelong, is Victoria’s largest regional city.

•The Gunditjmara people have native title land in the far south west.

•The region enjoys booming health, social services and education sectors.

•Barwon South West is Australia’s largest milk production area and is home to 20% of the national plantation timber industry.

•Other industries include aluminium production, food processing and automotive manufacturing. Emerging industries include new energy, food security and biotechnology.

•The region has good transport links with two seaports with road and rail freight connections and Avalon Airport.

Demography

Population: 350,000 (approx.)

G21 region

/

Great South Coast region

Municipal centres / Population / Municipal centres / Population
Geelong CBD,
City of Greater Geelong / 223,047 / Camperdown,
Corangamite Shire / 17,469
Queenscliff,
Borough of Queenscliffe / 3,306 / Port Fairy,
Moyne Shire / 16,906
Torquay,
Surf Coast Shire / 26,873 / Warrnambool CBD,
Warrnambool City Council / 34,193
Colac,
Colac Otway Shire / 22,108 / Hamilton,
Southern Grampians Shire / 17,411
Bannockburn,
Golden Plains Shire2 / 19,014 / Portland,
Glenelg Shire / 21,236

42 Golden Plains Shire is included as part of the G21 group for strategic planning purposes, but is part of the Highlands RWMG for waste management purposes

Political context

LevelRepresentative
Federal
Dan TehanLP Member for Wannon
Sarah Henderson LP Member for Corangamite
Richard MarlesALP Member for Corio
State-Legislative Assembly
Lisa Neville ALP(Bellarine)
Hugh DelahuntyNP (Lowan)
John ErenALP(Lara)
Andrew KatosLP (South Barwon)
Denis NapthineLP (South West Coast)
Ian TreziseALP (Geelong)
Terry Mulder LP (Polwarth)
State- Legislative Council
David Koch LP
David O’Brien NAT
Simon Ramsay LP
JaalaPulfordALP
Gayle Tierney ALP

Regional context

•RDA in partnership with RDV and the federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government completed the Barwon South West Strategic Plan in 2010.

•The City of Greater Geelong signed a sustainability covenant with EPA Victoria, the Committee for Geelong, Barwon Water, the Geelong Chamber of Commerce, Deakin University and the Geelong Manufacturing Council. The group developed the Future Proofing Geelong partnership program, setting up a project delivery team in their economic development unit. In 2011, they completed the Low Carbon Growth Plan for Greater Geelong with ClimateWorks Australia. As a result, the council is targeting commercial buildings, SMEs and community capacity building.

•The Great South West Community Report Card was completed in 2011. The report card ranks 30 sustainability indicators across six LGAs to report on the condition of communities and environment. It includes waste management and household energy as indicators.

Regional priorities

The Barwon South West Regional Strategic Plan identifies five key objectives for the region:

Objective

/

Purpose

/

Priority activities

1. A resilient and diverse economy / To position Barwon South
West for economic growth
in a global market / • Industry transition
• New energy
• Food and water security
• Tourism
2. An exemplar of environmental sustainability / To protect and enhance
the natural assets of
Barwon South West / • Sustainable land use
• Climate change planning and risk management
• Sustaining natural resources
3. Education and opportunities / To develop a smarter,
more skilled, more resilient
community and workforce / • Higher education attainment rates
• Skills for growing and emerging industries
• Better access to education and training
4. A connected Barwon SouthWest / To improve infrastructure
networks to build
economic competitiveness,
environmental sustainability
and social cohesion / • National Broadband Network opportunities and challenges
• Transport infrastructure, including Geelong Ring Road, Avalon
Airport, harbour improvements, Great Ocean Road upgrades,
upgraded rail and road links, and upgrade to Princes Highway
West (funding secured and under construction)
• Social networks and infrastructure
5. Empowered communities / To develop healthy,
liveable, equitable
communities / • Address entrenched disadvantage through regenerationactivities in Corio, Norlane, Whittington, Colac and Portland
• Improve health and wellbeing
• Increase the capacity of health and community care

Other regional priorities include:

•implementing the Green Triangle Region Freight Action Plan

•investing in the Geelong Cultural Precinct

•setting up a regional research and information centre to meet rural and regional data management needs

•developing network infrastructure for the Geelong Ring Road Employment Precinct

•investing in town centre upgrades

•reconstructing Yarra St Pier

•developing existing and proposed trails in the G21 region as part of the G21 Regional Trails project

•building National Defence Industrial Association headquarters in Geelong

•redeveloping Simonds Stadium (stage 2) – funding secured and under construction

•supporting regional growth, particularly in the Armstrong Creek and Warrnambool growth areas

•developing a purpose-built convention and exhibition centre

•establishing an Australian centre for emerging infectious diseases

•investing in structures and processes for the implementation of the Great South Coast Regional Strategic Plan.

Economic profile

According to ABS data in 2010, around 199,000 people are employed in the region.

Most people work in healthcare and social assistance; around 15% of the labour force. The manufacturing sector employs a further 13%, retail trade 12%, and agriculture, forestry and fishing employs 6%.

Industry profile by subregion

Subregion

/

Industry Profile

Great Surf Coast region / •Agriculture generates around $2 billion gross revenue each year and employs 20%
•of the workforce
•Manufacturing generates $4 billion a year, a quarter of which is derived from dairy projects
•Forestry will harvest 180,000 hectares of blue gum plantation over the next few years
•Retail and construction contribute more than $1 billion per year to the economy
•Health, community services and education sectors are significant local employers
•Growing renewable energy industry based on proven wind, oil and natural gas resources
•Strong tourism sector with half of all regional international overnight visits in the Great Ocean Road region
G21 Region / •Manufacturing has been a major contributor to the local economy in the past and continues to play an important role today
•Tourism, health, education and research, retailing and other tertiary sector activities employ a large proportion of the workforce
•Leading centre in industrial research, health technology, biotechnology and agricultural research
•Highly skilled labour force which has diversified its skill base in recent years in response to local business needs
•Premier tourist destination and resort location
•Education and training is a key strength

Funded sustainability project examples

Recent SV projects / •Energy and Water Taskforce with Western District Employment Access
•Landfill liners in Corangamite
•Kerbside green waste trial Southern Grampians.
Current SV projects / •Green Light Project (Geelong Manufacturing Council and Barwon RWMG)
•Green Organics Soil Improvement Program, Barwon RWMG
•Roadside litter projects (Barwon RWMG and Waste Reduction Group)
•ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic schools (Barwon South West Consortia)
•RWMG support funding (Barwon RWMG and Waste Reduction Group)
•SRSB Materials and Energy- 5 businesses
•SRSB- Energy Efficient Office Buildings- 1 building approved
Third party sustainability projects / •Regional PPR program- Alcoa Foundation funded
•Climate Resilient Communities of Barwon South West- VASP funded (DEPI)
•Geelong Cleantech Cluster- market research project- Manufacturing productivity program (DSDPI) funded
•Community Energy Efficiency Program- Department of Industry funded
•Renewable Energy Project, Geelong- RDV Funded
•Barwon Sustainability Hub- BRWMG funded feasibility study

SWOT analysis

Strengths
•Geelong is Victoria’s largest provincial city and is rapidly growing with a diverse and vibrant economy
•Internationally recognised landscapes (the Great Ocean Road) and other natural assets
•Manufacturing sector including aluminium and food processing
•Diverse agriculture sector – Australia’s largest milk production region (significant value-adding occurs via milk and meat processing) and 20% of the national plantation forestry
•Good sea and air transport links
•Natural gas reserves, existing 550kV electricity transmission currently at 25% capacity, and strong wind, wave and geothermal resources
•Extensive networks, mature governance structures and well developed regional strategic planning processes
•Water resources an important natural asset
• / Opportunities
•New energy, particularly new wind and gas fired facilities.Wave energy projects are currently being considered offthe far west coast
•As an internationally significant tourism destination, thereis scope to improve yield and encourage visitor dispersal
•Leveraging off higher education and research institutions– the region has building capabilities in biotechnology,information and communication technology, carbon fibre
•and clean technology
•Timber harvest in the green triangle region has growthpotential
Weaknesses
•Regional socio-disadvantage with pockets of entrenched disadvantage
•Lower rates than state average in some significant health-related indicators
•Completion of Year 12 and participation in further education lower than the state average
•Road infrastructure is inadequate – in poor repair and a serious barrier to regional growth
•Inadequate rail services – quality, reliability and frequency
• Limited broadband capacity in some parts of the Region / Threats
•Current workforce demands are not being met.Regional growth and emerging industries placefurther demands on labour
•Carbon intensive industries (e.g. oil refining, cementproduction, aluminium) are likely to be heavily affectedby carbon trading
•Impact of climate change on agriculture and risksof rising sea level on coastal communities
•Catastrophic events – the region has many high-riskbushfire areas
•Economy in transition – the rise of emerging marketsand reduced trade barriers affect the region’semployment

Further reading

This section provides a list of organisations providing regional development information in Victoria.

All web addresses are correct as at June 2013.

ClimateWorks Australia

ClimateWorks Australia publishes a number of plans related to lowering emissions, including the low carbon growth plans for Geelong and Gippsland.