By Oliver Winn
The Yarra Ranges Council has released its draft budget for 2025-2026 and is now open to community consultation until 27 April before finalising the budget in time for the start of the financial year.
The Upper Yarra region had plenty of major projects outlined in the draft budget this year, which are listed below.
In Warburton:
$2.5 million will go towards the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination (WMBD) trail, the funding of which is split between borrowings and Federal and State government grants.
72 per cent of the WMBD funds are sourced from borrowings and the remaining 28 per cent from Federal and State government grants.
Whereas the $2.1 million slotted for the Ngurrak barring / RidgeWalk is solely funded by grants.
Yarra Ranges Council corporate services director Vince Lombardi said the council is advocating to State and Federal governments for the funding they need to maintain these large projects.
“We want our community to enjoy it. But how do we then make that awareness that we need to maintain these assets to the State and Federal Government,” he said.
“We’re contributing nationally. How do we raise that awareness and that advocacy through our budget? Because it’s not fair always charging that back to our community. So that’s probably the underlying message that you probably don’t see in the document.”
Yarra Ranges Council chief financial officer Liam Routledge said the revenue generated by the Warburton Visitor Paid Parking Pilot was predicted to be around $1.5 million.
“There’s a cost to serve that as well. If you look at the net we’re actually getting from that, it does serve more the behavioural than a massive revenue drive, whereas it’s really cost recovery,” Mr Routledge said.
Corporate services director Vince Lombardi said council needed to make sure the drive in tourism was sustainable for Warburton.
“One responsibility that council has is activating the area, you look at the Warburton Mountain Bikes, it’s a great activation, but we need to also make that it’s self-sustaining for all the visitations that are coming through.”
The Yarra Valley Trail Stage 1 will cost $2 million, with council sourcing 41 per cent through grants and 59 per cent through borrowings.
The Yarra Valley Trail Stage 2A will cost $1.95 million but will be fully funded through grants, putting the total cost for the Yarra Valley Trail at $3.95 million.
Renewal for an existing section of the Warburton Rail Trail will cost $150,000.
$36,300 will go towards rehabilitating two existing footpaths on Riverside Drive and Upper Blackwood Avenue.
There’ll be new footpath missing links constructed on Riverside Drive/Horners Road, which will cost $109,500.
In Wandin North:
$175,235 for five existing footpaths will be rehabilitated, which includes Keith Court, Galera Court, Sirocco Court, Farrar Way and Mayo Court.
In Seville:
The installation of easement draining on Lanning Crescent will cost $100,000, which will prevent flooding in heavy rainfall events.
$3.8 million will go towards redeveloping the Seville Recreation Reserve Community pavilion.
Existing footpaths will be rehabilitated on Ashley Court, Belair Close and Ducol Court at a cost of $96,559.
In Yarra Junction: $2 million will go towards the Yarra Valley Trail, Stage 1 – this includes over 40km of trail linking Lilydale, Yarra Glen, Healesville and joins into the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail.
Peppercorn Place’s existing footpath will be rehabilitated at a cost of $32,190.
