Mayoral Matters - September
Published on 03 September 2025
l was honoured to open the Hopetoun Patchwork Group Exhibition on Friday 22 August 2025. It was a brilliant display of talent and art. Yarriambiack Shire Council is delighted to be hosting this display at the Hopetoun Powerhouse.
The Mallee Machinery Field Days, organised by the Speed Lions Club, experienced another successful year with strong attendance. I extend my congratulations to all individuals involved in this achievement and would like to acknowledge the life memberships awarded to Kevin Emonson and Les Down who have been involved with the Mallee Machinery Field Days since its inception in 1979.
I would also like to congratulate QA Hay on their new supply-chain agreement with Visy Logistics that will create up to 25 new jobs. I was delighted to attend the announcement together with our CEO recently and look forward to tracking the development of this great example of a value-adding business within our agricultural sector.
This Friday Warracknabeal will welcome Ace Radio to town for their ‘We Love Warracknabeal’ campaign which is sure to be again a great celebration of our wonderful local businesses. I encourage our residents to join in and shop locally.
At last week’s meeting of Council we endorsed the transfer of Minyip, Rupanyup and Warracknabeal kindergarten services to Emerge Early Years Services following recent community consultation.
There are numerous benefits to Emerge being the service provider across the Yarriambiack Shire community, opposed to Council, including:
- A single, local provider with knowledge of the community and region, as well as an understanding of regional challenges, delivers services across multiple rural Local Government areas to create economies of scale.
- Centralised enrolments, payroll, financial, human resources (including recruitment) that enables funds to be directed back into improving the quality of services, pedogeological leadership, professional development and specialised service support in classroom.
- Focus on quality service provision, with early years being their only service focus, opposed to Local Government, where early years sit within a portfolio of numerous service delivery provisions, all competing for funds and resourcing.
Since October 2024, Council has partnered with Emerge, resulting in positive outcomes for staff and families. Emerge efficiently managed Yarriambiack Shire Council enrolments for 2026, releasing them earlier than previous years. The Manager Early Years and Transition, employed by Emerge and working across local centres, has fostered strong relationships with staff, families, and parent advisory groups.
It is envisaged that the transition would occur in a staged approach, with Rupanyup and Minyip being the first two centres to transition, followed by Warracknabeal. The aim will be for all centres to be transitioned by the end of 2025.
Finally, on 17 August 2025, the Victorian Transmission Plan (VTP) was released, detailing changes to the Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) affecting Yarriambiack Shire. The update consolidates the previously proposed Grampians Wimmera and Wimmera Southern Mallee renewable energy zones into a single Western REZ with two sections. As a result, the area previously identified as the Wimmera Southern Mallee portion of the REZ has seen a significant expansion.
Vic Grid noted in the VTP that the expanded Western REZ area was not covered in the draft 2025 VTP consultation. Feedback on this area will be sought during the REZ declaration process, which offers another chance to adjust the boundaries, and for communities to provide feedback.
As Councillors, we are outraged at the REZ expansion which now sees the footprint expanded, and no clear picture regarding the gigawatt capacity.
You can read our full response on our website here.
- Cr Kylie Zanker, Mayor