Catch up on the news from Monday night’s Council Meeting.
COMMUNITY CONSULTATION UPDATE - MOE GARDENS CARAVAN PARK
Latrobe City Council received and noted the public submissions providing input into the future of Moe Gardens Caravan Park located at 1 Mitchells Road, Moe.
In advance of the current lease with the park operator ending in May 2026, Council commenced community engagement to inform decision making about the future of the site.
Community engagement included a Have Your Say campaign via our website from 18 September until 31 October 2025, this digital campaign was supported with strong communications and engagement from Officers with site holders at the caravan park. Some 80 percent of respondents were in favour of remaining as a caravan park.
Council will receive a report at the February Council Meeting detailing the options available to continue to operate the site as a caravan park.
MOE OUTDOOR POOL PETITION
Latrobe City Council noted a response to the Petition requesting the Moe Outdoor Pool to be heated.
A petition was tabled at the February 2025 Council Meeting, the petition contained 151 signatures and was requested to be presented at an upcoming Council meeting.
Latrobe City currently has six leisure facilities, with four leisure centres that operate heated indoor pools, located in Moe/Newborough, Churchill, Morwell and Traralgon and two seasonal outdoor pools in Moe and Yallourn North. The Gippsland Regional Aquatic Centre (GRAC) in Traralgon also operates a heated 25-metre outdoor pool that is open all year-round.
The Moe Outdoor Pool is an unheated, eight-lane, 50 metre outdoor pool that is used for lap swimming and recreational use. It currently operates from the end of November until the Labour Day long weekend in March each year, with opening dependent upon weather.
An allocation to undertake a comprehensive strategic assessment of all leisure and aquatic facilities, to appropriately inform the future development, maintenance, and investment in leisure facilities will be considered in the 2026/27 budget development process. The head petitioner will be notified of the outcome of this report.
TRANSITION RESERVE POLICY
Latrobe City Council has unanimously endorsed the Latrobe City Council Transition Reserve Policy, strengthening Council’s long-term commitment to supporting local economic diversification, new industry attraction and sustainable job creation.
Established in the 2024/25 Council Budget, the Transition Reserve was created to ensure dedicated funding to support the community through the economic impacts of the closure of the region’s coal-fired power stations and State Government changes to the native timber industry.
The newly endorsed Policy provides a clear framework for how Reserve funds will be prioritised and invested, with a focus on enabling infrastructure that drives long-term economic growth and supports emerging and expanding industries across the municipality.
CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT COMMUNITY OUTREACH UPDATE
Council is taking proactive steps to enhance community safety and reduce anti-social behaviour in key Central Business District (CBD) areas through the development of a localised community outreach program.
Council unanimously resolved to allocate $30,000 from its accumulated unallocated cash reserve to develop a tailored community outreach model focused on supporting vulnerable individuals and improving safety in public spaces with high-traffic areas, such as CBD’s and transport hubs.
The proposed program aims to connect people with the appropriate support services through a flexible, community-based outreach approach.
A detailed report outlining the model and options for its implementation will be presented to Council at a future meeting.
2025-26 LOCAL SPORTS INFRASTRUCTURE FUND AND 2026-27 COUNTRY FOOTBALL NETBALL PROGRAM
Council endorsed three applications to the 2025-26 Local Sports Infrastructure Fund which included Netball and Tennis Changerooms at the Yinnar Recreation Reserve, Sports Lighting at Stoddart Oval, Traralgon and development of Large Town Recreation Reserve Master Plans.
The Local Sports Infrastructure Fund is a statewide program that provides funding for planning, upgrading and building essential sports facilities that will support and boost participation, particularly for less represented groups.
In addition, Council also endorsed the submission of a funding application to the 2026-27 Country Football and Netball Program for the installation of sports lighting at Duncan Cameron Memorial Park, Traralgon. The program provides funding to rural and regional local government areas for AFL and netball infrastructure projects and has a strong focus on supporting opportunities for less represented groups.
Should application/s be successful Council endorsed to allocate $1,108,200 from the Infrastructure Projects Reserve and $103,750 from the Public Open Space Reserve as Council’s contribution towards the Netball and Tennis Changerooms at Yinnar Recreation Reserve, and Sports Lighting at Stoddart Oval and Duncan Cameron Memorial Park.
PROPOSED 2026 SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETING DATES
Latrobe City Council adopted the presented 2026 Council Meeting schedule.
Council’s Governance Rules require that at or before the last meeting each calendar year, Council must fix the date, time and place of all Council Meetings for the following calendar year.
Council Meetings will continue to be supported via confidential briefings to inform Councillors on key matters.
The 2026 Council Meetings be held at Kernot Hall, Morwell as a central location except for the April 2026 Council Meeting which will be held at the Gippsland Performing Arts Centre (GPAC), Traralgon due to a scheduling clash.
REQUEST FOR COMMEMORATIVE STATUE ON COUNCIL LAND
Council endorsed the location for a commemorative statue to be installed within the Moe Botanic Gardens, on Council owned land, for those impacted by asbestos related diseases.
Gippsland Asbestos Related Disease Support (GARDS) have commenced fundraising to support the construction of a statue which aims to acknowledge Gippsland residents who have been affected by asbestos related illnesses more than any other area in Victoria.
Council officers will work with representatives from GARDS to determine an appropriate location for the statue.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Council endorsed a recommendation to establish a working group with the proposed Latrobe City International Friendship Association. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and draft Terms of Reference (ToR) will set out the proposed role of the Association, notably the conduct of cultural activities with Sister Cities on behalf of Council. These activities could include cultural exchanges and Sister City festivals.
A further report will be prepared for consideration by Councillors when the MOU and ToR have been drafted.
TOURISM & MAJOR EVENTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES
Council has given its endorsement to the recommendation of the Tourism and Major Events Advisory Committee. This recommendation relates to funding support for events through the annual Major Events Attraction budget.
The allocated funding is as follows:
- 2026 Motorcycling Australia Pro MX, $25,000
- 2027 Football Victoria Country Championships for $30,000 and in-kind venue hire and waste management
- 2027 – 2031 AGL Loy Yang Traralgon Junior International Tennis Championships for $45,000 per year for 5 years
This investment aims to enhance tourism, promote diversity, and foster community engagement through major events.