Regional Victoria, the place to be

At a glance

Over the past 12 years, the Victorian Government has invested more than $50 billion in regional Victoria.

With this Budget, the Government is making life easier, safer and more affordable for families in our regions.

Regional education

The Victorian Government is strengthening education in regional Victoria so every Victorian can access quality learning opportunities, no matter where they live.

Our reforms to early childhood education have rolled out in regional Victoria first, including Three-Year-Old Kinder and progressively delivering more hours of Four-Year-Old Kinder. We’re also delivering government-owned Early Learning Victoria centres and Free Kinder for regional families.

The Victorian Government has invested in regional TAFE, making sure young people can learn the skills they need close to home, without having to move to the city.

This Budget invests a further $112 million in regional education so that every Victorian across the state can receive a quality education.

We’re providing $95 million to upgrade 9 schools across Regional Victoria, including:

• Ararat Primary School
• Bacchus Marsh College
• Daylesford Primary College
• Eaglehawk Primary School
• Maryborough Education Centre
• Stawell Primary School
• Surfside Primary School
• Warragul North Primary School
• Yarrawonga College P-12.

This Budget also provides:

• $6.3 million to continue the VET transport fund to help rural and regional school students get to their vocational training classes.
• $5 million to deliver hydrogen and battery electric vehicle training at Wodonga TAFE.
• $2.7 million to pilot a blended learning model for VCE students in Morwell to enhance the delivery of virtual subjects.
• $1.2 million to provide targeted youth education support officers to regional areas with higher prevalence of crime.
• $1.2 million for the Shepparton Education Plan to provide student and family engagement, wellbeing services and post-secondary pathways to students at the Greater Shepparton Secondary College.
• $792,000 to continue the Skilling the Bay program, which supports people to navigate education and employment in Geelong.
• $355,000 for the Education Benalla program, led by the Tomorrow Today foundation, to engage and support children and families on their education journey.

Regional healthcare

Regional hospitals deliver much-needed, top-quality care to communities across our state.

That’s why we’re investing in our regional hospitals by redeveloping the Ballarat Base Hospital, Barwon Women’s and Children’s Hospital at University Hospital Geelong and Warrnambool Base Hospital.

With this Budget, we’re investing:

• $75 million for the Regional Health Infrastructure Fund to renew and upgrade infrastructure across rural and regional health services.
• $10 million to meet growing demand for Hospital in the Home beds operated by Barwon Health.
• $7.1 million to operate the new PET scanner at Goulburn Valley Health.
• $4.2 million to continue group-based parenting supports for parents whose children are being treated for mental illness across 8 regional Infant, Child and Youth Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Services.
• $1.1 million to prevent chronic disease through the Health Loddon Campaspe program, with a focus on healthy eating and keeping people active.
• $985,000 to continue mental health services and supports in regional and rural communities, including the Q*Space and Be Well in the Ranges programs.

Regional transport

A strong transport network is vital to regional Victoria, connecting communities and making sure our world-class food and fibre producers can get their goods to market.

Since last year, the number of train services in regional Victoria has increased with 32 new services on the Traralgon, Seymour and Echuca lines. And with the completion of the Gippsland Line Upgrade, passengers now have access to 55 new weekday and 32 new weekend services.

We’re investing a further $481 million in regional transport services to continue improving these connections. This includes:

• $318 million for upgrades that will reduce delays and improve reliability on the regional rail passenger rail network.
• $127 million to improve regional freight rail infrastructure across Victoria to support the efficient movement of goods and fewer trucks on regional roads.
• $30 million for even more train services on the Shepparton line.
• $3.9 million to continue passenger services on the Portarlington Ferry.
• $2 million for V/Line to improve safety at Ballarat, Little River Station and Beaufort stations through CCTV improvements.

In addition to continuing to deliver on last year’s Road Blitz with the Commonwealth, we’re investing $73 million more into regional road upgrades across Victoria. These upgrades include:

• Barwon Heads Road pedestrian crossing, Connewarre
• Calder Highway and Maiden Gully Road intersection upgrade, Maiden Gully
• Howard Street and Midland Highway intersection upgrade, Epsom
• Leongatha Alternative Truck Route planning and design, Gippsland South
• Midland Highway and Geelong Road pedestrian safety improvements, Buninyong
• Murtoa-Glenorchy Road and Horsham–Lubeck Road planning and design, Lubeck
• Princes Highway East, Davey Drive and Waterloo Road traffic signals, Trafalgar
• Strzelecki Highway – Mirboo North to Leongatha planning and design, Gippsland South
• Tooleybuc Bridge planning and design, Tooleybuc
• Western Highway and Jackmans Road intersection upgrade, Dadswells Bridge
• Wiltshire Lane pedestrian crossing, Delacombe.

Across our state

• $1.6 billion to support hospitals, and also deliver more doctors, nurses and services.
• $860 million additional capacity for the Social Housing Growth Fund, to support more than 7,000 new homes.
• $759 million to provide 20% rebates on Victorian light vehicle registrations for up to 2 cars per person.
• $674 million for 25 additional 6-car X’Trapolis 2.0 trains on the metropolitan train network.
• $560 million in additional funding for road maintenance, bringing this year’s total to a record $1 billion.
• $552 million for school building maintenance, delivering high-quality spaces for learning across the state.
• $433 million for half-price public transport from June to 1 January 2027 and free public transport in April and May.
• $284 million to open and operate local hospitals.
• $244 million for training, including funding for Free TAFE in priority courses and government-subsidised training.
• $229 million to hold offenders accountable and keep the community safe, and increase custodial capacity in the adult and youth correction system.
• $165 million for social and community services workers to help families where children are at risk of abuse or neglect.
• $120 million for cost of living support for families with children.
• $118 million to fast-track kids care so they get surgery, vaccines and specialist treatment faster.
• $105 million to deliver more buses and ferry services.
• $103 million to upgrade roads and intersections across metro Melbourne and regional Victoria.
• $102 million in Victoria’s Triple Zero to ensure a timely and reliable call-taking system that keeps Victorians safe.
• $100 million for new and improved firefighting fleet for the CFA.
• $84 million to support our farmers and agricultural communities.
• $69 million to support delivery of VET and applied learning in secondary schools.
• $51 million for police and protective services officers at shopping centres.

Backing regional development

About 23% of our population lives in regional Victoria.

And its economic contribution is immense.

Regional jobs and businesses are critical to helping our economic prosperity.

Employment has grown by 23.1% in regional communities since we came to government.

The Victorian Government is making it easier to do business in regional Victoria.

Regional Victoria has the lowest payroll tax rate in the nation, helping to support further economic growth in regional centres.

This Budget supports a strong, regional economy by investing in businesses, infrastructure and local jobs, including:

• $23 million for the Future Regions initiative to boost productivity, liveability and investment in regional Victoria.
• $909,000 for the Office of the Cross Border Commissioner to streamline regulatory and licencing requirements, promote economic growth and reduce barriers to accessing services in Victoria’s border communities.
• $800,000 to support tourism in the High Country.
• $450,000 to support the Gippsland Trades and Labour Council’s Community Education Programs to develop skills and reconnect those who are unemployed or experiencing long-term unemployment with education and training.
• $279,000 to continue the Rural Women’s Network’s Leadership and Mentoring Program.

Investing in stronger regions

Every year, more than 27 million tourists are drawn to visit regional Victoria for a holiday, directly generating about $18 billion in economic activity for our state.

From the natural beauty of the great outdoors to our incredible regional galleries, we’re investing in the things that make regional Victoria great.

And we’re supporting more Victorians to make regional Victoria home. In 2023, this government committed $1 billion to deliver more than 1,300 social and affordable homes in regional Victoria by 30 June 2028. And that’s on top of the $1.25 billion committed for the regions from the Big Housing Build.

This Budget includes:

• $13 million to operationalise the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre and for the Victorian Convention and Exhibition Trust to attract local, national and international events and conferences to the new facility. This project has delivered more than 1,400 jobs through construction and more than 240 ongoing roles. More than 50 events are already locked in ahead of its opening in July.
• $4.3 million to maintain and activate state-owned cultural facilities across Victoria.
• $4 million for the Rochester Aquatic Facility.
• $2 million to continue the QHub program to support young people and their families in western Victoria’s LGBTIQA+ communities, with place-based mental health and wellbeing support services and QHubs in Geelong and Ballarat.
• $1.5 million for the Regional Business Events Program to incentivise event organisers to host their events in regional Victoria.
• $1.2 million to support regional audiences to access and experience more regional creative venues.
• $600,000 to fund further upgrades at the Regional Community Vet Clinic in Castlemaine.
• $480,000 to support 5 Basketball High Performance Hubs in Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Shepparton and Traralgon.
• $150,000 to strengthen the Country Women’s Association of Victoria’s capacity to deliver critical support services to regional communities.

We’re also encouraging Victorians and visitors to enjoy the great outdoors.

From hiking and camping to fishing and boating, some of the most affordable and enjoyable experiences can be found regionally.

This Budget invests:

• $43 million to renew infrastructure in the River Murray catchment area.
• $7.9 million to restore the historic Cape Otway Lightstation, renew parts of the Twelve Apostles Precinct, and provide other upgrades within the Great Ocean Road coast and parks.
• $5 million to continue to stock fish in Victoria’s waterways each year and to operate the expanded Arcadia and Snobs Creek hatcheries.
• $1.5 million to complete new facilities at Bancoora and Point Lonsdale Surf Life Saving Clubs, making sure Victorians can enjoy our beautiful beaches safely.

We’re also investing $10 million to continue the Future Forests program, to assist in the management of over 1.8 million hectares of state forest. This includes critical forest management and bushfire-preparedness activities.

Support for our farmers

Victoria is Australia’s largest food and fibre exporter. Our farmers are central to the strength of our regional communities and food security.

This Budget invests $84 million in support for Victoria’s farmers and agricultural industries. That includes $62 million provided in response to the January 2026 bushfires for our primary producers and agricultural sectors, including through primary producer grants, concessional loans and emergency fodder support.

We’re also providing $5.9 million for programs that support the health, safety and wellbeing of our farmers and agricultural communities. This includes funding for the National Centre for Farmer Health and to the Rural Financial Counselling Service, which provides free financial counselling to Victorian farmers, fishers, foresters and related small businesses.

We’re also investing $5 million to support farmers to improve energy efficiency on their farms and $2.2 million to extend the Fox Bounty program to manage the impact of livestock predation.

We’re also investing $7.6 million in biosecurity, protecting the future of our agriculture industries.

We know drought and tough weather conditions put real pressure on our farmers and communities. The Victorian Government has backed Victorian farmers with more than $146.5 million as part of our Drought Support Package. This investment is supporting our farmers and communities to stay resilient and overcome drought conditions.