Mitchell Shire Council adopted its 2026-2027 budget at the Council meeting on Monday 18 May.
The budget has been developed in line with the Council Plan 2025-2029 and includes a strong focus on managing growth, maintaining critical infrastructure and responding to community priorities
The budget includes continued investment in roads, footpaths, community facilities, recreation infrastructure and early years services, while also supporting long-term planning for Mitchell Shire's rapidly growing communities.
It also includes additional funding for road renewal in response to community feedback about road conditions across the municipality.
Key spending during 2026/2027 financial year include:
- $16.95 million allocated to roads and bridges across the Shire, in addition to annual maintenance funding.
- $1.26 million to extend and renew footpaths and cycleways, improving safety and connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists.
- $2.21 million for recreation, leisure and community facilities across the Shire.
- $11.63 million for the construction, expansion and upgrade of buildings across the Shire, in addition to annual maintenance funding.
The budget also includes funding for several new projects that will deliver long-term benefits for communities across Mitchell Shire:
- Kings Park, Seymour: Renewal of the existing netball courts at Kings Park to improve player safety, surface quality and community sporting facilities.
- LB Davern Reserve, Wandong: Upgrades to the Sue Marstaeller Pavilion to improve accessibility, usability and compliance for community users.
- Kilmore East Road, Kilmore: Installation of safety barriers along sections of the road to improve road safety and reduce the risk of serious crashes.
- Lancefield Pyalong Road, High Camp: Construction of a new roadside safety barrier to improve protection for motorists on a high-risk section of road.
- Windham Street and Queen Street, Wallan: A roundabout constructed at the intersection to improve safety and traffic flow.
- Dry Creek/Wandong Avenue, Wandong: Improvements to pedestrian crossing infrastructure to enhance safety and accessibility for people walking through the area.
- Wallara Waters Boulevard, Wallan: Installation of priority crossings and traffic calming measures to improve pedestrian safety and reduce vehicle speeds in the precinct.
- Hamilton Street and Hawdon Street, Broadford: Construction of a new footpath connection to close a missing pedestrian link and improve walkability in Broadford.
- Powlett Street, Kilmore: Delivery of a new footpath section along Powlett Street to improve pedestrian connectivity and access within Kilmore.
The budget also continues investment in several major projects that support the growth, wellbeing and liveability of communities across Mitchell Shire.
This includes continued delivery of the Wallan East Integrated Family and Children's Centre (interim name), which will expand access to early years services for local families, and the Seymour Community Wellbeing Hub, designed to strengthen community connections and improve access to health and wellbeing support services.
Investment will also continue in important infrastructure and recreation projects including the sealing and upgrade of Old Sydney Road in Beveridge to improve road safety and connectivity, the development of the Chittick Park Dog Friendly Space in Seymour to provide an inclusive recreational area for residents and visitors, and the activation of Taylor's Creek Reserve in Wallan to enhance access to passive recreation space.
The budget also reflects changes to waste charging required under updated Victorian Government guidelines.
From 1 July 2026, a new Public Waste Charge will apply to all rateable properties to fund waste services such as resource recovery centre operations, collection of public place bins and illegally dumped waste.
At the same time, the existing annual waste service charge will be reduced and will only apply to those properties receiving a kerbside bin service.
Detailed information and frequently asked questions about the changes are available on our Changes to waste charges explained page.
Mitchell Shire Mayor John Dougall said the budget reflects both the immediate needs of the community and the long-term planning required in one of Victoria's fastest growing municipalities.
"This budget delivers practical investment in the infrastructure, services and facilities our community relies on every day while continuing to plan responsibly for Mitchell's future growth," he said.
"We know roads, footpaths, recreation facilities and access to local services remain key priorities for our community and this budget responds directly to that feedback.
"Council has worked hard to balance the growing demands placed on local government while continuing to invest in projects that improve safety, liveability and community wellbeing across the Shire.
"Importantly, this budget keeps us focused on delivering essential infrastructure and maintaining financial sustainability while advocating strongly for additional investment from other levels of government."
