FIVE major projects in Yarriambiack Shire will share in State Government funding of more than $820,000.
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Member for Northern Victoria Candy Broad visited the shire yesterday to announce Small Towns Development Fund grants for infrastructure projects in Rupanyup, Murtoa, Minyip and Hopetoun.
Ms Broad also announced $300,000 for a $400,000 Yarriambiack Roadside Clearance project which will link with the Wimmera Rural Skills Connect program to train and employ more than 50 of the region's farmers.
Yarriambiack Shire Mayor Helen Ballentine said the funding package had arrived at a crucial time and would secure the future of the shire until the drought broke.
She said participants in the roadside clearance project would share the equivalent of eight full-time positions to clear roadside vegetation throughout the municipality.
"Council has not had the financial resources to keep up with requests for roadside clearance work," Cr Ballentine said.
"A lot of our farmers and contractors have upgraded to wider machinery for minimum tillage and some of our roads are just too narrow to access. If we do happen to have a bumper year it is going to be difficult to manage the traffic on the roads which is why this work will begin very shortly."
Ms Broad said the project would generate off-farm income for farmers in Yarriambiack Shire while providing them with transferable skills and recognised qualifications.
"The council's successful proposal is a practical initiative that will address a potentially serious issue while injecting confidence, enthusiasm and economic stimulus into communities across the shire," she said.
"While reducing roadside hazards the initiative will help farming families and produce an economic spin-off to the many businesses that service the farming sector."
Cr Ballentine said Yarriambiack Shire Council would provide the remaining $100,000 for the project. She thanked the State Government for providing timely support to the shire's communities.
"It is not very often as mayor you get an opportunity to receive such wonderful news in one day," she said.
"This funding will give our shire a much-needed boost and could be the catalyst to keeping our shire strong until we have the biggest harvest we've had in the past 10 years."
