By Oliver Winn
The State Government’s 2025-26 budget claimed to deliver a range of cost of living reliefs for families in the Yarra Ranges.
Free kinder for kids had its funding renewed which meant families can continue to save up to $2600 a year per child on kindergarten.
In the Upper Yarra, Seville Primary School was named as one of the 13 schools to get a new free kinder built on its premises, which Seville Primary School principal Chris Dossor said would help parents avoid the “dreaded double drop off”.
Another notable funding promise was making public transport free for kids under 18, which would, according to the budget, save families $755 a year per child.
Minister for Transport Infrastructure and Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams said the budget prioritised enabling families to travel without financial constraints.
“This is a Budget focused on what matters most – making it cheaper and easier for families to get where they need to go.”
The change would begin at the start of 2026 and would make Victoria the first state to offer free public transport for kids and teens.
Funding for better access to free pads and tampons had also been announced and Upper Yarra residents will reap the benefits.
18 shopping centres will receive vending machines that dispense free period products, along with the existing rollout scheduled for public places – which included a number of libraries in the Yarra Ranges.
In the Upper Yarra, Yarra Junction Library is on the list to receive the machines, while in the Yarra Ranges, Montrose Library, Rowville Library and Belgrave Public Library are set to provide better access to free period products too.
Minister for Women Natalie Hutchins announced the next 90 venues across Melbourne on Thursday 8 May.
“Period products are a basic necessity – and we’re making sure women and girls can get them for free, when and where they need them,” she said.
“This is about dignity, equality and making sure no one misses out on school, work or community life because of their period.”
Buses were also marked to get a $42.8 million upgrade, which will upgrade existing bus networks in Gippsland and establish a new Route 886 between Mornington and Hastings.
But, no bus upgrades were flagged for the Upper Yarra area, which had seen calls for upgrades to services such as Route 683.
“There is certainly a lack of public transport in rural and outer suburban areas. Often those in the far reaches end up being quite disadvantaged, students miss out, and the school bus network does not always work,” Ms McLeish said to the Star Mail in March 2025.
Another measure targeted at families was increased funding for the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) which provides eligible families with payments to help cover costs of excursions and other extra curricular activities.
From 1 January 2026, families eligible for CSEF will see an increase in support to $400 for primary and secondary school children, up from $154 and $256 respectively.
The budget also pledged more than 65,000 Get Active Kids vouchers, which provides up to $200 towards the cost of kids’ sports membership, equipment or uniforms for families with a health care or eligible concession card.
And some $10.4 million was invested to support positive student behaviour and expand the School-wide Positive Behaviour Support program into an additional 408 schools.
