Advocacy Priorities

These are Council’s most pressing Advocacy Priorities.

They are large, long-term projects and areas of community need that align with the Baw Baw Shire Council Plan 2025-2029(PDF, 11MB) and reflect the Community Vision for a sustainable, healthy and thriving future.

Intersection upgrades

Baw Baw Shire is asking the State Government to fund and prioritise the upgrade of critical intersections including;

• Weebar Road roundabout in Drouin;
• Burke and Howitt Street traffic lights in Warragul;
• Princes Way and Wellwood Road traffic lights in Drouin.

Business Attraction

Baw Baw Shire is asking the State Government to commit to greater investment in regional business, tourism, and recreation projects to support local economic development such as;

• Walhalla, Victoria Goldfields World Heritage bid;
• FarmGate tourism;
• Business start-up & development support;
• Reduce barriers to business.

Paths and Trails

Baw Baw Shire is asking the State Government to make available more funding streams that assist in investing in paths and trails infrastructure and to commit up to $7 million to assist in funding the planning, development, and construction of Stage Two of the Rokeby to Noojee Trail.

Sporting Infrastructure

Baw Baw Shire is asking the State Government for sports infrastructure funding and policy initiatives to support the necessary sports infrastructure required for our growing community including;

• Sharing public school ovals and sporting facilities;
• Sports and Recreation Victoria funding;
• Funding for detailed recreation planning;
• Trafalgar second oval.

Financial Assistance

Baw Baw Shire is asking the Federal Government to restore Financial Assistance Grants to 1% of federal taxation revenue whilst maintaining existing funding streams and to continue annual increases in Roads to Recovery (R2R) funding to both bring the funding to a level where councils can properly maintain and repair their road networks, and to keep pace with rising costs.

Peri Urban Status

Baw Baw Shire is asking the State and Federal Governments to recognise peri urban councils in policy and in funding programs to support peri urban councils to plan, prioritise and appropriately fund major infrastructure.

These projects are areas of community need which will make a significant impact on the safety, liveability and sustainability of Baw Baw Shire as a place to live and work, as well as projects and initiatives endorsed by Council in strategic documents and policies.

Business growth & job creation

• Protection of agriculture land;
• Workforce development.

Liveability & community connectivity

• Key freight route upgrades;
• Transfer of recreation assets on crown land;
• Pedestrian safety;
• Baw Baw Culture and Connection Precinct Stage 2;
• West Gippsland Arts Centre program funding;
• Preservation of the Shire's public and civic art collections;
• West Gippsland Arts Centre infrastructure and technology upgrades;
• Every Child Every Year;
• Public transport.

Quality leisure & recreation spaces

• Western Park pavilion;
• Geoff Watt track upgrades;
• Recreation at Tarago Dam;
• Longwarry Recreation Reserve pavilion.

Community health, safety & wellbeing

• New West Gippsland Hospital;
• Early Years infrastructure;
• Youth programs;
• Homelessness outreach services;
• Community Grants Program - state framework and funding;
• Community networks.

Environmental sustainability & resilience

• Changes to native vegetation planning controls;
• Flood mapping/mitigation;
• Canopy mapping;
• Environmental upgrades for Council owned buildings and facilities;
• Greenhouse alliances;
• Waste reforms.

Fair & sustainable service delivery

• Rate capping;
• Cost shifting;
• Municipal emergency resourcing program increases and timely renewals;
• Allowing Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements funding to be used for betterment projects.

Following successful advocacy campaigns, these are recent projects that have received funding and are now being delivered.

Baw Baw Library and Learning Centre

Advocacy over several years has led to successful funding of a new state-of-the-art Library and Learning Centre in Warragul – Baw Baw Shire’s largest town. This facility will feature a new library and modern civic hub designed to serve as a shared community space and lifelong learning destination.

Valued at $30 million, the facility is being delivered through a collaborative investment between all three levels of government. $10 million has been committed by Council, $14.5 million has been contributed by the Australian Government and $4.5 million by the Victorian Government.

Construction is set to commence in late 2026, with the facility marked for opening in early 2028.

For more information, please visit Baw Baw Culture and Connection Precinct

Warragul and Drouin Future Transport Planning

Council actively advocated to the Victorian Government to allocate $3 million for thorough transport network planning to address increasing traffic pressures. This planning study will focus on the state road network in Warragul and Drouin, managed by the Department of Transport and Planning.

Community consultation is currently underway by the Department of Transport and Planning to understand issues relating to road safety, congestion, freight, accessibility, or active or public transport connections on the state road network.

Have your say by completing our online survey on Engage Victoria or chat to the team in person at one of the pop-up sessions to be held in Warragul or Drouin:

Wednesday 7 October 2026

• Warragul Library (75 Victoria Street) from 10:30am-12:30pm
• Palmerston St Kiosk, Warragul (outside Flight Centre) 1:30pm-3:30pm

Thursday 8 October 2026

• Drouin Library (136 Princes Way) 10:30am-12:30pm
• Drouin Central Shopping Village (72-100 Young St) 1:30pm-3:30pm

Saturday 17 October 2026

• Warragul Farmers Market, Logan Park from 8:30am-1pm

Submissions close on Friday 30 October 2026.

More information can be found online at Warragul and Drouin future transport planning

Trending advocacy issues are current and emerging issues affecting the Baw Baw Shire community that Council is advocating for or against.

New Hospital for West Gippsland

A new hospital in West Gippsland is desperately needed to replace the outdated 118-year-old hospital currently in Warragul. A 23.6-hectare greenfield site in Drouin East is ready to house a new hospital to service the growing community should the Victorian Government commit to funding this long-awaited critical project.

Hospitals are the responsibility of State Government to deliver and maintain.

Recently, Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson visited Baw Baw Shire pledging $850 million to break ground on a new hospital if a Liberal-Nationals Coalition is elected this November. Council is calling on the Labor Party to also recommit to delivering a new hospital if elected.

Find out more about Council's position on a new hospital:

• Click here to read about Council's full support for new hospital
• Click here to read about Council and WGHG united front for a new hospital

Battery Energy Storage Systems

Council is advocating that Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) infrastructure should be placed in appropriate locations that support both renewable-energy targets and sustainable agricultural production, rather than on high-quality and productive agricultural land.

Find out more about Council's position on BESS:

• Click here to download BESS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)(PDF, 228KB)
• Click here to download Council's media release about BESS projects(PDF, 378KB)

Our community is encouraged to get involved in advocacy campaigns and show support for the local projects and issues that matter most.

To make participation easy, community members can send pre-drafted letters of support directly to Ministers, Members of Parliament and other government representatives for shovel-ready projects through Do Gooder, Council’s online advocacy platform.

Clicking on the campaign links below will take you to Do Gooder where you can access the template letters for each project. These can be easily filled in and sent to the government decision makers. It's quick and easy, all you need to do is put in your details and personalise the letter if you want to!

Visit Council's online advocacy platform Do Gooder via the following links:

• Rokeby to Noojee Trail Extension
• Fast Track Urgent Intersections in Warragul and Drouin

Find out more advocacy news:

• Baw Baw Shire Council launches advocacy priorities
• Letter drops commence as advocacy continues for intersection upgrades
• Advocating for Baw Baw Shire 100 days out from the election
• Community voices encouraged ahead of State Election
• Major milestone for new Library and Learning Centre in Warragul

We're here to help! If you have any questions or feedback about Council’s Advocacy please contact our team via email or by calling 1300 229 229.