We are welcoming your feedback on our Draft Budget 2025/2026.

The Budget is the blueprint that shapes our priorities and outlines our financial commitments for the delivery of important services, programs and infrastructure.

We have created a snapshot of the Draft Budget 2025/2026. Take a look at the snapshot, and let us know what you think!

A full copy of the Draft Budget 2025/2026 is also available on this page, in the Document Library section to the right.

Council is encouraging community members to have their say as part of its ongoing commitment to community consultation. Please see below for dates and times of face to face engagement sessions in our townships.

Can’t make it to a session? We’re also hosting individual drop-in sessions on Friday 2 May 2025 at Ararat Rural City Council offices, 59 Vincent St, Ararat between 9am and 2pm.

ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS

Community engagement sessions will be held at the following venues:

LocationVenue AddressDate and Time
AraratArarat Town Hall: Corner of Vincent St and Barkly St, Ararat Tuesday 29 April 2025, 11am
BuangorBuangor Community Sports Centre Pavilion: 196 Coach Rd, BuangorWednesday 30 April 2025, 2pm
ElmhurstMechanics Institute: High Street, ElmhurstTuesday 29 April 2025, 2pm
Lake Bolac Lake Bolac Complex: Lake Bolac Complex Road, Lake Bolac
(next to the swimming pool, entrance from Montgomery St)
Thursday 1 May 2025, 7pm
MoystonMoyston Community Hall: 12 Brooke St, MoystonThursday 1 May 2025, 11.30am
PomonalPomonal Community Hall: 3360 Ararat-Halls Gap Rd, PomonalThursday 1 May 2025, 3pm
TatyoonTatyoon Hall: 2728 Tatyoon Rd, TatyoonWednesday 30 April 2025, 7pm
WillauraWillaura Memorial Hall: 93 Main St, WillauraThursday 1 May 2025, 5.30pm


SUBMISSIONS

Here are some tips to make the most of your Budget feedback

  • You can provide your feedback in the text field or by submitting a document.
  • Provide a clear summary of your idea. Think ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘where’ and ‘how’
  • What you want council to provide, and why
  • The benefits of your proposal. They could be environmental, financial, connectivity, health and wellbeing etc.
  • Timeframes, for example, how long has this been an issue, when would you like a solution etc.

Submissions can be made via this website, or by writing to Ararat Rural City Council - PO Box 246, Ararat, VIC, 3377, or emailing [email protected].

Submissions are open until Friday 9 May 2025 at 5pm.

A final draft of the Budget 2025/2026 will be presented to the Council Meeting to be held on 24 June 2025.

TIMELINE

Timeline

  • Timeline item 1 - complete

    Council’s 2025/2026 Draft Budget Released on Engage Ararat

    By 5:00pm on Friday 11 April 2025

  • Timeline item 2 - complete

    Budget Snapshot Released on Engage Ararat

    Development of summary of key budget deliverables.

    By 5:00pm on Friday 11 April 2025

  • Timeline item 3 - incomplete

    Ararat Community Engagement Session

    Ararat Town Hall, Tuesday 29 April 2025, 11am

  • Timeline item 4 - incomplete

    Buangor Community Engagement Session

    Buangor Community Sports Centre Pavilion, 196 Coach Rd, Buangor Wednesday 30 April 2025, 2pm

  • Timeline item 5 - incomplete

    Elmhurst Community Engagement Session

    Mechanics Institute, High Street, Elmhurst Tuesday 29 April 2025, 2pm

  • Timeline item 6 - incomplete

    Lake Bolac Community Engagement Session

    Lake Bolac Complex Road, Lake Bolac (next to the swimming pool, entrance from Montgomery St), Thursday 1 May 2025, 7pm

  • Timeline item 7 - incomplete

    Moyston Community Engagement Session

    Moyston Community Hall, 12 Brooke St, Moyston Thursday 1 May 2025, 11.30am

  • Timeline item 8 - incomplete

    Pomonal Community Engagement Session

    Pomonal Community Hall, 3360 Ararat-Halls Gap Rd, Pomonal Thursday 1 May 2025, 3pm

  • Timeline item 9 - incomplete

    Tatyoon Community Engagement Session

    Tatyoon Hall, 2728 Tatyoon Rd, Tatyoon Wednesday 30 April 2025, 7pm

  • Timeline item 10 - incomplete

    Willaura Community Engagement Session

    Willaura Memorial Hall: Thursday 1 May 2025, 5.30pm

  • Timeline item 11 - incomplete

    Drop-in Sessions

    Friday 2 May 2025 at the Ararat Rural City Council offices, 59 Vincent St, Ararat between 9am and 2pm.

  • Timeline item 12 - incomplete

    Submissions Close

    Tuesday 9 May 2025 at 5pm

  • Timeline item 13 - incomplete

    Budget Adopted at Council Meeting

    Council Meeting on Tuesday 24 June 2025