Greater Shepparton City Council wins Victorian Multicultural Award for Excellence

In Summary

Greater Shepparton City Council has received the 2025 Victorian Multicultural Award for Excellence in the Local Government category.
The award recognises Council’s Resilience in Recovery Program, developed in partnership with the Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District, Wise Well Women, and VICSES.
The program, created in response to the 2022 flood event, integrates multicultural inclusion into emergency management planning and preparedness.
Initiatives include in-language emergency sessions, translated resources, community engagement activities, and interpreter training delivered with Monash University.

The award celebrates and acknowledges Council’s Resilience in Recovery Program, which was developed in partnership with the Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District, Wise Well Women, and VICSES.

Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali, said the award is recognition of the strength and collaboration across the region.

“This achievement reflects the strong partnerships we have with our multicultural organisations and emergency services. Together, we have co-designed a program that makes emergency information accessible, informative, and empowers communities to prepare and recover from disasters,” he said.

The program was developed after the 2022 flood event and incorporates multicultural inclusion into emergency management planning and preparedness. This ensures culturally and linguistically diverse communities are supported before, during and after emergencies.

Initiatives from the program include in-language emergency preparedness sessions, translated resources including The First 72 Hours plan, and innovative engagement activities including dancing, food, yoga and swimming. It also delivered training for local interpreters and bilingual workers in partnership with Monash University, creating long-term capacity for inclusive communication.

Victoria’s Multicultural Awards for Excellence honour the outstanding achievements of people and organisations who support Victorians of all cultural backgrounds to fully participate in society.

View the recording of the event here

For more information, phone Council on 5832 9700 or email council@shepparton.vic.gov.au