By Mikayla Van Loon
Yarra Ranges Council has released its draft budget for the 2024-25 year flagging a number of projects, with drainage, park upgrades and trail rehabilitation presenting as the most funded for the urban area.
Topping the list includes the $2.1 million budgeted for the Chirnside Urban Park playspace at Belsay Reserve, the $4.2 million for the Pinks Reserve upgrades and the $2.9 million for Mount Evelyn’s Morrison Reserve playspace renewal.
A roundabout at the intersection of Edward Road and Paynes Road has seen $768,000 allotted to the Chirnside Park connection to Wonga Park and Yering.
Lilydale has been cited for $550,000 to be spent on drainage upgrade works to address flooding and erosion issues, adding to the total $3.5 million allocated each year for the next two years across the shire.
Across a six year plan, $16 million has been allocated to drainage upgrade works, as well as the foundational work required, which was noted as being a substantial increase from previous year’s budgets.
Mayor Sophie Todorov said after consultations with the community and having heard the petitions being brought to council since December, drainage was a key item on the list.
Whether the money put towards drainage at this point in time was enough, she said “the short answer is it’s not enough”.
“We know we need more and until we complete that Stormwater Management Plan, identify the hotspot flooding and the mapping, we don’t know what the end result and figure will be,” she said.
“I would anticipate we would be looking at growing funds needed to undertake all those works once we get the mapping done.”
Corporate services director Andrew Hilson agreed “it’s probably never going to be enough” but it would have to be a smart investment over time.
“We’ve just got decades of old drainage infrastructure that needs to be upgraded over time. So it’s going to take some time. It’s going to take this kind of conservative investment over a long period of time,” he said.
“I imagine there’ll be plenty of people who sort of say, actually my road or my area isn’t on the list for the next couple of years. That’s probably true.
“There’s only so many dollars that have to be prioritised in terms of what we can do quickly and now and then the rest has to come over time.”
Roads in the urban area set for drainage works include Belle Vue Lilydale ($200,000), Carmen Reserve – Lilydale ($200,000), Fernhill Road Mount Evelyn ($445,000), Nimblefoot Way/Delta Close Lilydale ($150,000), North Avenue Mount Evelyn ($415,000), Wilsons Lane Lilydale Stage 1 ($50,000) and $263,000 for general drainage rehabilitation.
With the council now responsible for street litter bin collection, a service passed on from the State Government, as well as the “120 plus services”, Mayor Todorov said while the headline projects are important, the required duties of the council need to be prioritised this year.
“We’d be the first ones to put our hands up to say we don’t need the rate cap this year to be applied to rates, to residents but unfortunately, we can’t because we’ve got all those ongoing asset maintenance upgrades, renewals, and then we’re looking at infrastructure in the wider community,” she said.
“Then we’re looking at drainage issues and solutions and everything else delivering our services. The cost of living in general, the cost of construction materials going up by 30 to 40 per cent, all of that factored into it. Sealing of the roads is three times what it would have been 12 months ago for example.”
To view and submit feedback during the community consultation go to, shaping.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/draft-budget-2024-25
Printed versions of the budgets will also be available at the Community Links.
The consultation period is until Sunday 19 May.
