Council has adopted the Budget 2026-2027 to carefully balance the needs of today with the responsibilities of tomorrow, ensuring the City of Greater Bendigo remains financially sustainable while continuing to invest in the services and infrastructure the community relies on.
Shaped by community feedback and aligned with the Council Plan Mir wimbul 2025-2029, the Budget focuses on managing cost pressures, renewing essential assets and laying the foundations for future growth, liveability and opportunity across Greater Bendigo.
Mayor Cr Thomas Prince said the Budget is focused on continuing to invest in the everyday services residents rely on and value.
“The Budget 2026-2027 reflects what our community has told us is important: affordable services, liveable neighbourhoods, a healthy environment and strong local communities, while also supporting local jobs, business and future growth,” Cr Prince said.
“Maintaining and renewing essential infrastructure remains a clear priority, and we have invested $97M in projects our community needs most, including $47.9M in buildings, $13.3M in roads, $8.5M in pathways and $9.9M in parks and open space.
“The Budget also includes $44M dedicated to renewing and maintaining existing infrastructure people use each day.
“Our planned capital renewal program for 2026-2027 lists projects including the renovation of the Rosalind Park Conservatory, upgrade of the pavilion at Golden Square Recreation Reserve, lighting upgrades at Bendigo Library, renewal of Strathfieldsaye Recreation Reserve oval and cricket wicket, replacing street furniture and park furniture, a new playspace in Elmore (Michie Street) and more.
“There is funding to continue multi-year projects as well, such as the Bendigo Art Gallery redevelopment, Bendigo Low Line walking and cycling trail and redevelopment of North Bendigo Recreation Reserve.
“We’re also supporting community ideas in small towns, including investment in community-led projects, giving people in small townships the opportunity to bring local ideas to life.
“Budgeting is a continuous, organisation-wide process. Every day, City staff are actively receiving, assessing and responding to community feedback.
“This includes interactions from the community such as requests, community engagement, listening posts and meetings with Councillors, presenting to Council and our Community Grants program.
“As part of the Budget 2026-2027 development process, a survey was held on the City’s online engagement platform, Let’s Talk Greater Bendigo, between September and October 2025.
“We’d like to thank the 261 community members who took the time to rank what is most important to them across 14 service areas.
“The results showed our community’s top priorities for investment continue to be roads, footpaths, tracks and trails, parks, including playspaces and gardens, waste, recycling and resource recovery, growth through town planning, infrastructure and guiding development, and local sport facilities.
“These results, and feedback throughout the year, have directly informed the services and infrastructure prioritised in the Budget 2026-2027.”
The Budget has been developed in line with the State Government’s rate cap of 2.75 per cent. As with previous years, Council has not applied for a variation to the rate cap as it seeks to absorb increasing costs for supplies, goods and services.
To help keep costs down for households, there will be no increase to waste charges for ratepayers in the new financial year.
The Budget 2026-2027 is valued at $280M, with an operating budget of $186M funding services including waste collection, street cleaning, environmental health, statutory planning, road maintenance, early learning, immunisation, tourism and visitor services, and much more.
It also includes a capital works budget of $97M for both new infrastructure projects and maintaining existing assets across the community.
