March 2014
Contents
Introduction
Regions by RWMG and councils
SV contacts for regions (March 2014)
Acronyms
Map: Strategic Cordinators and Regional Waste Management Groups
Hume
Regional features
Key facts
Demography
Political context
Regional priorities
Economic profile
Funded sustainability project examples
SWOT analysis
Further reading
Sustainability Victoria
Level 28, Urban Workshop
50 Lonsdale Street Melbourne 3000
T 1300 363 744
E info@sustainability.vic.gov.au
sustainability.vic.gov.au
© Sustainability Victoria 2014
Printed on 100% recycled paper
Disclaimer
Information in this document is current as at February 2014. While all professional care has been
taken in preparing this document, Sustainability Victoria accepts no liability for loss or damages
incurred as a result of reliance placed upon its content.
Introduction
This document provides a snapshot of the Hume region. It is not an exhaustive compilation of regional
information, but instead focuses on information that is considered relevant to SV’s priority outcomes in
integrated waste management and resource efficiency.
It has been produced by SV’s Strategic Coordinator based in the region. Information has been drawn
from plans and strategies, including regional strategic plans and growth plans, and other documents,
as well as discussions with key regional personnel.
This document aims to assist SV staff to understand regional conditions so that SV and our
stakeholders (e.g. Regional Waste Management Groups) can
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Work more effectively across the portfolio
Design and develop relevant programs and projects
Prepare their business plans.
Regions by RWMG and councils
Region
RWMG and Executive Officer
LGA/councils
Barwon South
West
*Barwon RWMG
Colac Otway Shire Council
Enzo Bruscella
Greater Geelong City Council
Queenscliffe Borough Council
Surf Coast Shire Council
*South Western RWMG
Corangamite Shire Council
(Waste Reduction Group)
Glenelg Shire Council
Cydoni Edwards
Moyne Shire Council
Southern Grampians Shire Council
Warrnambool City Council
Gippsland
*Gippsland RWMG
Mathew Peake
Bass Coast Shire Council
Baw Baw Shire Council
East Gippsland Shire Council
Latrobe City Council
South Gippsland Shire Council
Wellington Shire Council
Grampians
*Desert Fringe RWMG
Wayne Lovett
*Grampians RWMG
Kerrie Tomkins
Hindmarsh Shire Council
West Wimmera Shire Council
Ararat Rural City Council
Horsham Rural City Council
Northern Grampians Shire Council
Yarriambiack Shire Council
*Highlands RWMG
Philip Clingin
Ballarat City Council
Central Goldfields Shire Council
Golden Plains Shire Council
Hepburn Shire Council
Moorabool Shire Council
Pyrenees Shire Council
Hume
*Goulburn Valley RWMG
Campaspe Shire Council
(Resource GV)
Greater Shepparton City Council
Nick Nagle
Mitchell Shire Council
Moira Shire Council
Murrindindi Shire Council
Strathbogie Shire Council
*North Eastern RWMG
Alpine Shire Council
(NevRwaste)
Benalla Rural City Council
Brooke Hermans
Indigo Shire Council
Mansfield Shire Council
Towong Shire Council
Wangaratta Rural City Council
Wodonga Rural City Council
(and three Alpine resorts)
Loddon Mallee
*Calder RWMG
Greater Bendigo City Council
Peter Chudek
Macedon Ranges Shire Council
Mount Alexander Shire Council
*Central Murray RWMG
Buloke Shire Council
Karen Fazzani
Gannawarra Shire Council
Loddon Shire Council
Swan Hill Rural City Council
*Mildura RWMG
Mildura Rural City Council
Amanda Blakney/Melanie Bell
*NB. The ministerial Advisory Committee has recommended amalgamation of RWMG’s. As recommendations are enacted by
government, revision to this document will be made.
SV contacts for regions (March 2014)
Division
Barwon
South West
Gippsland
Grampians
Hume
LoddonMallee
Martina
Rienzner
Kristy Roche
Engagement
Statewide Engagement Team
Manager : Andrew Straker  (03) 8626 8813
Strategic
Coordinators
Amy O’Brien
Luke Wilkinson
Trish Kevin
 0418 149068
 0427 850
478
 0409 060109
 0419 311 765
 0408 110
431
Education Team
Manager : Jane Liefman  (03) 8626 8861
Claire Ruedin
Simon Hum
 (03)
86268747
 (03) 8626
8793
Candyce
Presland
 (03)
86268774
Simon Hum
 (03)
86268793
Candyce
Presland
 (03)
86268774
Integrated Waste Management
Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy
Manager : David Cocks  (03) 86268765
Barwon
Gippsland
Highlands
Andrew
Buzacott
Val McGregor
Nick Bailey
 (03)
86566701
 (03)
86268742
 (03)
86268824
Goulburn
Valley
Calder
Nicola Thom
 (03)
86268765
 (03)
86268726
Grampians
South West
Marcus Fogarty
 (03)
86268788
Ben Stephenson
 (03)
86268807
David Cocks
Central Murray
North Eastern
David Cocks
 (03)
86268765
Nick Bailey
 (03)
86268824
Desert Fringe
Ben Stephenson
Mildura
 (03)
86268807
 (03)
86268820
Kelly Wickham
Resource Efficiency
Business Productivity Team
Manager: Katrina Woolfe  (03) 86268823
Yolanda Sztarr
 (03)
86268843
Nick
Katsanevakis
 (03)
86268755
Andrew Haus
Helen Scott
Kel Dummett
 (03)
86268874
 (03)
86268855
 (03)
86268729
Acronyms
ABS
Australian Bureau of Statistics
ALP
Australian Labor Party
CBD
Central Business District
CMA
Catchment Management Authority
DSDBI
Department of State Development, Business and Innovation
DEECD
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
DTPLI
Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure
DEPI
Department of Environment and Primary Industries
EEIG
Energy Efficiency Information Grant
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
HACC
Home and community care
IWM
Integrated waste management
kV
Kilovolts (equivalent to 1000 volts)
LGA
Local government area
LP
Liberal Party of Australia
LPO
Litter Prevention Officer
MAC
Ministerial Advisory Committee on Waste and Resource Recovery Governance
Reform, 2013
NP
National Party of Australia
RDA
Regional Development Australia
RDV
Regional Development Victoria
ResourceSmart
AuSSI Vic
ResourceSmart Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative Victoria
RMF
Regional Management Forum
RWMG
Regional Waste Management Group
SME
Small to medium sized enterprise
SV
Sustainability Victoria
SV2015
SV’s Strategic Plan 2012–15
TAFE
Technical and Further Education
VECCI
Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Regional Strategic Coordinators and Regional Waste Management Groups
Strategic Regional
Coordinators
Luke Wilkinson
DEPI office, Traralgon
T 1300 363 744
M 0427 850 478
Martina Reinzner
DEPI office, Seymour
T 5735 4330
M 0408 110 431
Kristy Roche
DEPI office,
Epsom
T 5430 4544
M 0419 311 765
Trish Kevin
DEPI office,
Ballarat
T 5336 6856
M 0409 060 109
Amy O’Brien
DEPI office,
Colac
T 5233 5549
M 0418 149 068
Kim Johnson
Ray Liversidge
SV office Melbourne
T 1300 363 744
Region
Gippsland
Hume
Loddon Mallee
Grampians
Barwon South West
Metropolitan
Population
260,766
309,986
278,395
224,636
373,191
Regional Profiles – Hume | 10
Hume Regional features
Features
Details
Subregion
* Goulburn Valley RWMG ResourceGV
Campaspe Shire Council
Greater Shepparton City Council
Mitchell Shire Council
Moira Shire Council
Murrindindi Shire Council
Strathbogie Shire Council
*+ North Eastern RWMG NevRwaste
Alpine Shire Council
Benalla Rural City Council
Indigo Shire Council
Mansfield Shire Council
Towong Shire Council
Wangaratta Rural City Council
Wodonga City Council
Alpine Resorts (Falls Creek, Mt Hotham
and Mt Buller Mt Sterling)*
+
Resorts are included as they have
waste management responsibilities and
are members of NevRwaste)
These can be further subdivided to create the following four regions:
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Central Hume: Wangaratta, Benalla, Alpine, Mansfield
Goulburn Valley: Greater Shepparton, Moira, Strathbogie and
Campaspe**
Upper Hume: Wodonga, Indigo and Towong
Lower Hume: Mitchell (including Seymour) and Murrindindi (including
Beveridge and Wallan)
** Under some planning frameworks Campaspe is part of the Loddon
Mallee rather than the Hume region
Geographical features
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Transport
The region is linked to the rest of Victoria, and Australia, through the
Hume and Goulburn Valley transport corridors (rail and road). Most
prominent example is the road to/from Sydney across the NSW border.
Goulburn, Broken, Murray, Ovens, King and Kiewa river systems
Large areas of environmental value including National Parks
Alpine National Park and resorts including Falls Creek, Mt Hotham,
Mt Buller Mt Sterling and Lake Mountain
Significant freight and logistics hubs in Barnawartha (Upper Hume) and
Mooroopna (Goulburn Valley)
Rail service and infrastructure requires investment.
Regional Profiles – Hume
Major roads and travel
times
Key infrastructure
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From
To
Distance (km)
Travel time
(hours)
Melbourne
Seymour
110
1:18
Melbourne
Shepparton
189
2:07
Melbourne
Benalla
211
2:14
Melbourne
Echuca
225
2:34
Melbourne
Wangaratta
251
2.38
Melbourne
Wodonga
323
3:11
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Puckapunyal (near Seymour) and Bandiana (near Wodonga) Military
Areas
Mangalore Airport (near Seymour)
Western Composting Technology regional facility, Shepparton
Wallan and Wodonga best practice Resource Recovery Centres
Food and fruit processing facilities in Goulburn Valley
Biodiesel Producers biofuels plant, Barnawartha
Goulburn Valley Water + Diamond Energy biogas plants (Tatura and
Shepparton)
Albury Waste Management Centre (in NSW)
Freight and logistics precincts, existing and emerging, at Beveridge,
Seymour/Mangalore, Mooroopna, Barnawartha, Wodonga,
Ettamogah (NSW) and Tocumwal (NSW)
Key facts
Structure
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Hume has no single dominant regional city.
The region has four distinct subregions, each of which has access to a city and/or as per details in
table
Councils/shires range from well-resourced and quickly expanding (e.g. Mitchell) to severely under
resourced (e.g. Murrindindi). This is directly reflected in local waste infrastructure and services
which range from best practice (Wallan and Wodonga) to requiring investment (Kinglake).
Land
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Goulburn Valley is the food bowl of the Murray-Darling Basin, producing about 25% of the value
of Victoria’s agricultural production.
More than a quarter (28%) of Goulburn Valley and over half (54%) of the North East is public
land.
Hume was severely affected by the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009, particularly throughout
Murrindindi Shire.
Many of the region’s urban centres are located within the floodplains of major rivers including
Benalla on the Broken river, Shepparton on the Broken and Goulburn rivers, Seymour on the
Goulburn river, Wangaratta on the Ovens and King rivers and Echuca and Wodonga on the
Murray river.
Regional Profiles – Hume | 12
Demography
Population: 310,000 (two-thirds in Goulburn Valley).
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Population growth is a slightly lower than the Victorian average.
High amenity areas experience a significant influx of Melburnians seeking a rural lifestyle
(weekenders and commuters).
High proportion of part time residents in areas of natural beauty (e.g. 50% of rate payers in
Mansfield Shire are part time residents, similar in Alpine Shire)
Structural ageing as farmers get older, young people migrate to cities and retirees migrate to the
region. Most significant in Strathbogie followed by Towong, Alpine and Benalla shires.
Shepparton-Mooroopna has the largest Indigenous population in provincial Victoria
Further cultural diversity resulting from past and recent settlement of migrants, including large
Arabic speaking communities in Shepparton and Moira
Relatively low levels of social disadvantage. Of 270 relatively disadvantaged towns in regional
Victoria only 40 are in the Hume region (and none in the top 24). However, disadvantaged towns
include al l of the region’s centres – Shepparton and nearby Mooroopna, Wodonga, Wangaratta,
Benalla and Seymour.
Political context
Level
Representative
Federal
Cathy McGowan
Ind
Member for Indi
Rob Mitchell
ALP
Member for McEwen
Sharman Stone
LP
Member for Murray
State - Victorian Legislative Assembly
Tim McCurdy
NP
(Murray Valley)
Cindy McLeish
LP
(Seymour)
Jeanette Powell
NP
(Shepparton) Minister for Local Government,
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Dr Bill Sykes
NP
(Benalla) Parliamentary Secretary for Primary Industries
Bill Tilley
LP
(Benambra)
Paul Weller
NP
(Rodney)
State - Victorian Legislative Council for Northern Victoria
Candy Broad
ALP
Kaye Darveniza
ALP
Damian Drum
ALP
Kaye Darveniza
LP
Wendy Lovell
LP
Amanda Millar
LP
Regional Profiles – Hume
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Regional priorities
The June 2013 Draft Hume Regional Growth Plan provides a regional approach to land use planning
and identifies opportunities for growth and change over the next 30 years.
Principles under the plan include:
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Ensure land use planning decisions adopt a triple bottom line approach and are based on the best
available land capability data
Support rural towns by providing access to key community infrastructure that can respond to
changing needs over time
Ensure future development makes a positive contribution to sustainability and embraces good
urban design
Support innovative and flexible service delivery models and improve access to facilities and
services
Support the expansion and diversification of the region’s economy
Capitalise on national transport links and tourist routes
Support industrial growth through value adding
Provide for efficient and effective transport movements within the region and to Melbourne and
other key urban centres outside of the region.
The growth plan is guided by The Hume Strategy for Sustainable Communities 2010-2020. Directions
under the strategy include
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harnessing renewable energy sources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pursuing
innovative waste management approaches
adapting and diversifying agriculture in an environment of change
facilitating research and innovation in tourism, manufacturing and industry to encourage new and
evolving business
developing energy infrastructure that builds on existing competitive advantages
developing a proficient land transportation system
maximising use of existing infrastructure and services and facilitating strategic investment in
future infrastructure and services
ensuring efficient use of land use planning resources in the region.
NB: These documents have been guided by 12 local councils excluding Shire of Campaspe which is reflected in the Loddon
Mallee Regional Growth Plan.
High
Regional Profiles – Hume | 14
Economic profile
The economy is based on access to water and productive land, the national freight corridor and
significant areas of natural beauty. Related key industries are agriculture/primary production,
manufacturing (primarily food and beverage) and tourism (including ski resorts).
Manufacturing and agriculture are the most significant economic sectors, contributing over 30%
($3.1b) to the region’s gross value added and providing 75% of the region’s exports.
Significant and growing employment sectors include retail, construction, health care, education and
accommodation/food services.
Significant and declining employment sectors include manufacturing and agriculture.
Transition/emerging opportunities include intensive agriculture (broiler farms, piggeries, feedlots,
horticulture) and agricultural clusters, greenhouses, forestry, renewable energy generation including
bioenergy and conservation activities.
Opportunities also exist in the waste sector for localised waste management solutions (including
composting, recycling and reuse), specifically around towns with industries processing food and fibre
and near clusters of intensive animal raising industries.
Sub region
Industry and service base
Local industries
Central Hume
Wangaratta, supported by Benalla.
Softwood plantation
High-value agriculture
Viticulture
Goulburn Valley
Shepparton.
Food and vegetable processing
Agriculture
Grazing
Viticulture
Forestry
Upper Hume
Wodonga.
Freight transport and logistics
Albury-Wodonga is one of Australia’s 18
major cities.
Passenger transport
Manufacturing
Agriculture (mostly grazing)
Viticulture
Defence force
Lower Hume
Seymour (nominally).
Viticulture
Melbourne based manufacturing is a key
employer for commuters living along
Hume Freeway.
Aquaculture
Melbourne’s Urban Growth Boundary now
encompasses Beveridge and Wallan in
the Lower Hume.
Agriculture
Timber
Defence force
Regional Profiles – Hume
|15
Funded sustainability project examples
Recent SV projects
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Current SV projects
25 projects at a total contract value of $2.7m funded by SV since July
2012, including:
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Third party sustainability
projects
Alpine Living Bin project
Fluoro Collect – Driving Investment for New Recycling fund
Sustainable organics management in Goulburn Valley
Inaugural SV@ your doorstep (Alpine Shire)
Green and food waste collection in the Goulburn Valley
Tallangatta Eco Education and Integrated Services Hub (cofunded by DEECD and Living Libraries)
Education and engagement campaign for Wodonga and Indigo
Away from Home behaviour study, North East.
Seven Hume projects under Victorian Adaption and Sustainability
Partnership Program, including:
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Virtual Renewable Power Stations, feasibility study into
decentralised electricity generation and distribution infrastructure
(Moira Shire partnering with Swan Hill Rural City)
Climate smart agricultural development, long term data to inform
agricultural industry transformation (partnership of six Goulburn
Broken councils)
Climate change resilience and adaptation.
Over 15 Hume projects under Australian Government’s Clean
Technology Fund, including:
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Energy efficient evaporator technology for Kagome Foods,
Australia’s largest tomato processor, based in Echuca
Tri-gen plant for Wodonga Rendering (abattoir)
Consolidation from Port Melbourne to Shepparton for chemical
manufacturer Pental Ltd
Energy efficient cooling technology for Victorian Alps Wine
Company, based in Myrtleford.
Four Hume projects under Australian Government’s Local
Government Energy Efficiency Program, for solar and/or heat pump
hot water systems at Alpine, Indigo, Mitchell and Strathbogie Shires.
$2.9m from Australian Government for ‘Watts Working Better’ street
lighting project (total value $4.6m). Lead by Shepparton Council with
Campaspe, Benalla, Moira, Strathbogie, Mansfield, Mitchell,
Murrindindi and Wangaratta as partners. Managed by Goulburn
Broken Greenhouse Alliance.
Regional Profiles – Hume | 16
SWOT analysis
Strengths
Opportunities
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Multi-centred and somewhat diversified
economy with strong interregional linkages
Opportunities for business development due
to geographical location of Hume between
Melbourne and Sydney
Strong agricultural base and established role
in food production
Good collaboration between most
councils/shires
History of shared resource use and
collaborative procurement for waste services
Towns/regions with good transport links and
existing infrastructure can accommodate
growth e.g. Seymour
Consortium approach to ResourceSmart
AuSSI Vic taps into a strong local network in
the Hume region.
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Multi-centred structure and strong transport
links are a good fit for a ‘hub and spokes’
waste management model
Hume can be an early adopter of Getting Full
Value, based on functional regional waste
groups and active local support for MAC
recommendations
Significant changes earmarked to transport
networks (e.g. the GV Link project)
Towns/regions with slowing economies can
provide infrastructure and population for
emerging industries
Waste industry can provide training and
employment opportunities for displaced,
semi-skilled or unskilled workers
Integrating resource awareness into planning
and new infrastructure where councils are
actively reinventing and restructuring the
local economic mix
Albury/Wodonga and other border towns
provide opportunities for interstate knowledge
and resource share as well as joint
infrastructure projects
Some areas are willing to invest in emerging
waste management technologies and may
find it easier to maintain buffer distances.
Weaknesses
Threats
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No sizable regional city and no ‘natural
centre’ for the region. This affects funding
support which is often based on population
size and city-based models and makes it
difficult to invest in centralised infrastructure
Distorted ‘waste market’ from lower landfill
fees in NSW-Albury and two councils
(Wodonga and Indigo) that do not pay landfill
levy
Community education difficult in high tourism
areas with transient populations and areas
with part-time populations
Slowing economies and employment
opportunities in previous ‘agricultural centre’
towns
Limited access to technologies that citybased agencies may take for granted e.g.
internet access
Limited access to commuter rail services
restricts population growth and has caused
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Changing weather patterns and increases in
droughts, floods, bushfires and other extreme
weather events can be a higher priority than
resource efficiency for local organisations,
businesses and householders
Income from agriculture is volatile, subject to
climate change impacts (see above, plus
reduction in water, seasonal changes, and
increase in frost), direction of the MurrayDarling Basin plan and global and local
economic conditions.
Downturn in manufacturing has lead and will
lead to successive rationalisation
Ongoing and significant regional issues
include water security, ageing infrastructure,
information and communication technology
demand and supply, and barriers to
establishing renewable energy supplies
Pressure for urban and rural residential
development can present a threat to
Regional Profiles – Hume
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high dependence on private cars
Small councils with relatively limited
resources, e.g. they don’t employ waste
education officers.
environmental assets but also provides
opportunities for tourism and other economic
diversification. Balancing these pressures,
along with natural hazards and potentially
prohibitive infrastructure cost, is a key
challenge for regional and local planning.
Regional Profiles – Hume | 18
Further reading
This section provides a list of organisations providing regional development information in Victoria.
All web addresses are correct as at June 2013.
ClimateWorks Australia
ClimateWorks Australia publishes a number of plans related to lowering emissions, including the low
carbon growth plans for Geelong and Gippsland.
www.climateworksaustralia.org/publications.html
Council websites
Most councils publish economic reports and statistics on their websites. A full list of councils with
websites is available on the Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure website.
http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/localgovernment/find-your-local-council
Department of State Development, Business and Innovation (DSDBI)
DSDBI has published an Industry Atlas of Victoria (2011).
www.dsdbi.vic.gov.au/research-reports/industry-atlas-of-victoria
Regional Development Victoria (RDV)
RDV provides regional development summaries on the five regions and publishes regional and
subregional growth plans and strategic plans.
www.rdv.vic.gov.au/victorian-regions.
Fuelled for Growth: The 2012 Ernst and Young report on bioenergy (Fuelled for Growth: Investing in
Victoria’s biofuels and bioenergy industries) is available for download at
www.rdv.vic.gov.au/business-and-industry-programs/biofuels-and-bioenergy.
Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure (DTPLI)
DTPLI publishes regional and subregional growth plans and strategic plans for Victorian regions.
http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/planning/projects-and-programs/regionalgrowthplans/
Profile.id
Profile.id uses the 2011 Census to provide comprehensive, online, socio-demographic profiles
of local government areas.
www.home.id.com.au/id-community/local-govt-products/profileid.
RWMG websites
The RWMGs publish business plans and annual reports on their websites. For a full list of RWMGs
and their websites, see contact details listed on the SV website: www.sustainability.vic.gov.au.