We saw the biggest ever financial investment into the shire last week with council approving a planning permit for the Bulgana Wind Farm at a special Council meeting.

The project, worth $465 million, will see 63 wind turbines built in the Bulgana and Great Western area.

This decision came after a lot of hard work by our council staff, councillors, and those who sent in submissions for and against the project. The benefits of the project will be significant across the environmental, economic, and social spheres, and we look forward to seeing work begin.

Council was pleased to see Woolworths sign on as the new naming rights partner of the Stawell Gift.

Council is an ongoing financial backer of the Gift, but also supports this important event in a variety of other ways including preparing the track, organising other Easter events to support the festival, and providing visitor information services to the tens of thousands of travellers who will experience our magnificent region over the Easter long weekend.

We're looking forward to a jam-packed few days and would encourage our locals to be part of the action. Highlights include the Great Western Rodeo on Good Friday, the StawellBiz Main Street Sensation on Easter Saturday morning, the Ecycle Solutions Stawell Gold Cup on Easter Sunday, the Grampians Arts Trail from Good Friday through until Easter Monday, and of course the running of the 134th Stawell Gift on Easter Monday.

Last week I travelled to Canberra with our CEO Justine Linley as part of a delegation representing Central Highlands Councils. We were given the opportunity to meet with a range of Ministers and their advisors on the biggest issues facing our council and the region.

Our biggest push was to secure $1.75m in funding for the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory. If the Federal Government can come through and match the State's funding, it will get this important and unique project off the ground and see it through the initial two-year phase.

We also discussed the Western Highway duplication project, mobile blackspots and their impact on emergency management, the possible reintroduction of a Renewable Energy Target, funding for the Grampians Peaks Trail, and the situation with our vacant Federation University campus in Stawell.

Enjoy the Easter long weekend and everything our shire has to offer at this exciting time!