Baw Baw Shire Council adopts responsible Budget for 2026/27
Published on 24 June 2026
Baw Baw Shire’s Annual Budget 2026/27 was endorsed at its Council meeting this afternoon, following a period of community consultation and feedback.
The Budget, which totals an operational spend of more than $127 million, is focussed on balancing community needs with rising costs, while ensuring Council continues to deliver the infrastructure and services needed to allow Baw Baw residents to thrive.
Some big-ticket items frontline the Annual Budget, with a huge focus on roads for the next four years. Council is aware of the need in the area for improved road networks and is tackling this issue front on with a record-breaking investment.
The Long-Term Infrastructure Plan reflects this priority, with $38.74 million allocated to road renewals over the four-year period from 2026/27 to 2029/30. This represents an increase of $7.82 million, compared to the $30.92 million allocated for the same period in the previous adopted plan. This uplift is intended to progressively improve road quality across the local network and reduce the impact of deterioration on users, including the agricultural sector and freight operators.
Baw Baw Shire Deputy Mayor Councillor Suzanne Allen, who chaired the June Council meeting, said this huge uplift in Councils road's investment made it clear that Council was listening to the community, knowing there was work still to be done.
“Not only are we making our own investments, which are already evident with works underway, but we’re hard at work lobbying the State and Federal governments to inject more money into Baw Baw, particularly to sort out major intersections like the Weebar Road roundabout,” Cr Allen said.
In addition to the focus on roads, some exciting projects will pop up and progress across towns, including the new Library and Learning Centre in Warragul, which is Council’s largest and most exciting project to date.
This project will kick off in the second half of the year, with the new Library and Learning Centre boasting state of the art facilities and located perfectly next to the West Gippsland Arts Centre.
Baw Baw Shire Mayor Cr Kate Wilson said that this multimillion-dollar, intergenerational development would increase social connection and provide some amazing facilities for Baw Baw residents.
“Soon the site will be a hive of activity and well on its way to becoming a much-loved space that will serve our growing community for generations to come,” she said.
In addition to the new Centre, other exciting projects will kick off this financial year such as the Longwarry Pavilion Replacement, completion of the new pavilion at Western Park Oval 2 and the new pump track at Burke Street Park, along with nearly $500,000 worth of new footpaths and trails across the Shire in areas such as Trafalgar, Yarragon, Noojee, Nayook and Neerim South.
This year’s budget is people focussed and aims to progress Council’s core values and Vision, which is to build a Sustainable, Healthy and Thriving community. To view the Annual Budget 2026/27, visit