Council launched its Greater Shepparton Australian Government Priorities 2025/26 document today, Thursday 3 April 2025, in a bid to address some of these challenges and secure funding for important infrastructure projects for the region. The document ‘Greater Shepparton, Greater Possibilities’, highlights three key infrastructure priorities for Greater Shepparton which will collectively contribute to strengthening economic and social activity, and improved liveability for our region:

1. Shepparton Sports & Events Centre

Council is proposing to create a regionally and nationally significant sporting, entertainment and events complex that caters for a multitude of users. The redevelopment will allow the region to host large-scale events at state, national and international standards across various sports including basketball, netball, badminton, table tennis, volleyball and futsal. This will build on Greater Shepparton’s reputation as the sporting capital of regional Victoria.

The ageing Shepparton Sports Stadium creates a distinct disadvantage for our region when it comes to attracting significant tournaments and events in comparison to other regional venues. Accordingly, the economic benefits accruing to our local economy are far below what would be the case if the redevelopment was realised.

“Investment from the Australian Government is critical to realising the transformation of the Shepparton Sports & Events Centre. This shovel ready priority project will boost our regional economy, enhance the region’s amenity and liveability, and encourage participation in active sports and recreation for generations,” Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali said.

2. Greater Shepparton Road Network

   • New Goulburn River Bridge Project
   • Key Road Projects

With the loss of the $208 million bypass funding and a further $130 million cut from the Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) program, there are opportunities for the delivery of key road infrastructure projects that will significantly improve our regional road transport network.

Greater Shepparton is positioned at the junction of two major north-south and east-west arterial roads, the Goulburn Valley Highway and the Midland Highway, and is a strategic hub in the national freight and logistics chain supporting freight movements between all capital cities and ports. As our region continues to grow so does the pressure on the local and broader road network. This coupled with the identified increase in population will impede future regional economic growth, reduce liveability and detrimentally impact the amenity and attractiveness of the region.

“The capacity of the Goulburn Valley Highway in and around Greater Shepparton can no longer safely and efficiently support existing traffic volumes. It is important that the existing and proposed transport network is managed and integrated in conjunction with the region’s growth areas through the backing of the Greater Shepparton Road Network Resilience Package,” Cr Sali said.

“The solution to address our existing road limitations and create a more resilient and safer network is the construction of a new Goulburn River Bridge, which we saw the vital need for during the October 2022 flood event, the upgrade of key intersections and investing in road maintenance for the prosperity of the community and the local economy.”

3. Regionally Significant, Contemporary Public Health Service

   • Completing the full Shepparton Hospital Redevelopment at GV Health
   • Goulburn Valley Integrated Cancer Centre
   • Goulburn Valley Institute of Applied Health Learning

In 2021, a new masterplan for GV Health’s Shepparton Hospital was developed, after significant portions of the existing facility were identified as being no longer fit-for-purpose and in need of replacement. The first stage of the GV Health Shepparton Hospital Redevelopment commenced in 2018 with major construction completed in 2024. Despite this, around 50 per cent of the site still needs to be redeveloped, and new capital funding is required to deliver this vital work.

Completing the full redevelopment is necessary to address critical gaps in the availability of contemporary care and treatment facilities for the Goulburn Valley and surrounding regions, particularly in relation to cancer care treatment, pathology services, inpatient capacity, specialist clinics, ambulatory services and car-parking.

“A new funding commitment to complete construction of the full GV Health masterplan is vital to closing the gaps in care in our region. The accompanying Goulburn Valley Integrated Cancer Centre and Institute of Applied Health Learning will ensure our health care services meet the demand of our growing community,” Cr Sali said.

Cr Sali acknowledged Greater Shepparton was experiencing substantial change, growing in both population and economic activity, with an expected population growth of 1.2 per cent per year until 2031. He said this growth brings with it a range of challenges which impact the community including planning and construction, creation of local jobs, fit-for-purpose road and transport solutions, social and affordable housing, protecting the environment, and the increasing need for industries to adapt.

“Through advocacy and partnership, Council aims to secure policy commitments, funding, and action from key decision-makers. Our power is in our partnerships and collaboration, and our ambitious goals for Greater Shepparton cannot be achieved by one organisation alone,” Cr Sali said.

“We will continue striving to deliver projects and priorities that will make Greater Shepparton a liveable, prosperous, inclusive, and resilient place to live, work, study, play, and do business.”

Find out more by visiting https://greatershepparton.com.au/advocacy/federal2025/