World heritage bid receives funding

Published on 03 July 2020

Central Goldfields Shire Council has welcomed $50,000 in State Government funding across 11 other councils to help build the capacity of the region’s visitor economy, with improvements aimed at supporting a future World Heritage Listing bid for the Central Victorian Goldfields.

Council is a partner in a campaign to place parts of the Central Victorian Goldfields, home to some of the world’s most significant gold rush-era sites, on the World Heritage list.

The funding, from the Victorian Government’s Stronger Regional Communities Program (SRCP) will support the development of a Sustainable Tourism Toolkit, which will help identify gaps across the region that when addressed will encourage visitors to explore the whole region.

Central Goldfields Shire Chief Administrator Noel Harvey said the possibility of achieving a world heritage listing for the Central Victoria Goldfields is the incentive needed to unlock the region’s full tourism and jobs potential.

“The Central Victorian Goldfields are unique and by gaining a world heritage listing, we are taking a step towards defining our region as a significant tourism destination on a global scale. With tourism, comes jobs and with jobs comes the potential to grow our Shire.”

The Central Victorian Goldfields World Heritage bid local government partners are: Ararat Rural City, Campaspe Shire, Central Goldfields Shire, City of Ballarat, City of Greater Bendigo, Golden Plains Shire, Hepburn Shire, Loddon Shire, Macedon Ranges Shire, Mount Alexander Shire, Northern Grampians Shire and Pyrenees Shire councils.