The Beeac Windmill Park and Heritage Walk has been officially opened by Gayle Tierney MP, Member for Western Victoria.
Representing the Minister for Regional and Rural Development, Jacinta Allan, Ms Tierney said the project illustrated the Victorian Government’s commitment to regional Victoria, and formed a part of the 150th anniversary celebrations for Beeac.
“We are very pleased to have worked with the Colac Otway Shire to make this project happen, as the Victorian Government is committed to standing behind towns such as Beeac,” Ms Tierney said.”
Ms Tierney said the Victorian Government provided the Colac Otway Shire with $112,500 of the $150,000 total project cost through the Small Towns Development Fund.
“The Small Towns Development Fund was set up to assist Victoria’s smaller towns in creating jobs, driving economic growth and improving community infrastructure. It involves $20 million over four years to assist small towns that, usually, have less than 10,000 people,” Ms Tierney said.
Ms Tierney said the Small Towns Development Fund has transformed into the new Sustainable Small Towns Development Fund, through Ready for Tomorrow: A Blueprint for Regional and Rural Victoria.
“This will help Victoria’s smaller towns create jobs, drive economic growth and improve community infrastructure,” Ms Tierney said.
“The Sustainable Small Towns Development Fund is part of the new $50 million Small Towns Package, which is such an important feature within Ready for Tomorrow, our $631 million policy to generate new opportunities and build a prosperous, and sustainable, future for regional Victoria.
“The Victorian Government is committed to working with small communities to create jobs, drive economic growth and improve community infrastructure and recognise the tremendous value contained in rural and regional Victoria.”
Ms Tierney said windmills were manufactured in Beeac from the 1880s and that local businesses were pioneers in the construction of windmills, building windmills for Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia.
“The Victorian Government has invested $11.7 billion over the past decade to transform regional Victoria into the best place to live, work, invest and raise a family,” Ms Tierney said.
“This supports first-class opportunities for young people so they want to live and study in Victoria’s regions, and growing the regions through investments that create jobs in local communities while protecting the lifestyles that regional families have come to cherish.”