The Partnership engages with the Central Highlands community to identify opportunities for transformational economic growth in order to advise the Victorian Government.
The Partnership’s Regional Priorities identify opportunities that will grow high-quality jobs and Gross Regional Product in the Central Highlands through:
- Capturing more high-value food and fibre processing and profit in the Central Highlands: Central Highlands region is a food and fibre powerhouse; however most primary produce is exported out of the region for high-value processing. Capturing more high-value processing within the region will create more quality, long-term jobs, retain higher GRP, reinforce the primary produce sector and contribute to net zero commitments.
- Expanding the Central Highlands’ advanced manufacturing base: The Central Highlands is home to companies specialising in the manufacture of rail, road and agriculture transport equipment. There are opportunities to utilise the unique combination of affordable land assets, excellent transport links to national and international markets and our existing comparative advantage in advanced manufacturing to unlock new growth.
- Activating the Central Highlands’ circular economy: The circular economy will be essential to meeting Victorian and regional net zero commitments, will build the resilience of the regional economy and increase employment. The region has access to significant feed stock, excellent transport links to end markets, affordable land assets and renewable energy infrastructure to power net zero growth opportunities.
Prior regional initiatives
The Partnership has been working with communities and the Victorian Government on regional priorities since 2016. Read about some of the initiatives this has led to in our region below.
Western Victoria Grain Industry Supply Chain Study
Victoria’s grain industry is an economic powerhouse that employs almost 10,000 people. Our grains are grown on 3.5 million hectares of land exported through commercial ports at Geelong, Portland and Melbourne. Our top 3 export destinations by value are China ($815m), Japan ($545m) and Indonesia ($368m).
Victoria accounted for 17% of Australia’s $33 billion total grain exports in 2022-23, making it the third largest exporter in the nation by value.
The Western Victoria Grain Industry Supply Chain Study maps expected future grain flows. The study includes data and technical insights to plan and manage the future needs of our road and rail freight network. It acknowledges efficiencies in recent major rail and road investments for industry, identifying priorities and opportunities for future consideration.
This report was prepared by the Central Highlands, Wimmera Southern Mallee and Great South Coast Regional Partnerships and associated Local Government Authorities in the region with the support of the Department of Transport and Planning.
For media enquiries relating to this report, email media@transport.vic.gov.au
For all other enquiries, email LocalTransportProgram@transport.vic.gov.au
Download: Western Victoria Grain Supply Chain Study Report Mar 2025 (DOCX 22084.9 KB) 
An accessible version of this document is currently not available. If you need this information in an alternative format, contact us via email at central.highlands.partnership@rdv.vic.gov.au.
Central Highlands Digital Plan
The Central Highlands Digital Plan is an evidence-based, place-based analysis of the supply of and demand for digital services and skills in the region. The Plan identifies gaps in the region’s digital infrastructure and makes recommendations on how these gaps can be addressed.
The Plan was developed in response to advice from the Partnership that regional digital connectivity needed to be improved. The Victorian Government responded by supporting the development of nine Digital Plans across Regional Victoria as part of the $45 million Connecting Regional Communities program.
This was the first time the government undertook such a consistent and coordinated survey of the digital connectivity landscape in close collaboration with regional stakeholders, recognising local challenges and priorities.
Downloads:
- Central Highlands Digital Plan - summary (PDF 1241.66 KB)
- Central Highlands Digital Plan - summary (PPTX 9070.07 KB)
- Central Highlands Digital Plan (PDF 3425.39 KB)
- Central Highlands Regional Digital Plan (DOCX 35947.46 KB) .
Accessible versions of these documents are currently not available. Please contact us if you need further information.
Addressing homelessness in our region
Understanding and addressing homelessness in the Central Highlands is a priority for our regional community. In support of this, the Partnership coordinated a working group of regional stakeholders to create an accurate picture of homelessness in our region and to better connect those at risk or currently experiencing issues with the services they need, with a goal to reduce homelessness in the Central Highlands. The working group included Regional Development Victoria, the then Department of Health and Human Services, the then Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Salvo Connect and Uniting Care
The report Homelessness in the Central Highlands was published in 2019. Following this a pilot project, Housing First Feasibility Study, received $300,000 in the 2018/19 Budget.
Download Homelessness in the Central Highlands (PDF 690.99 KB) .
An accessible version of this document is currently not available – please contact us if you need further information.
The Prevention Lab
The Partnership advised the Victorian Government that improving the long-term health outcomes of those living in the Central Highlands was a priority for our regional community. Responding to this advice, the Victorian Government allocated $150,000 for the development of a business case for an innovative 'Prevention Lab.'
The Prevention Lab brought together a diverse group of influential regional stakeholders to design and conduct preventative health initiatives across the region. The model leveraged existing health and well-being work with the aim to change culture from within communities. The resulting successful business case was awarded an additional $500,000 in Victorian Government funding to implement the model.
Grampians New Energy Taskforce (GNET)
The Partnership took a lead role in bringing together a council of multiple organisations and Victorian Government Departments to focus on the region’s renewable energy future.
The Grampians New Energy Taskforce (GNET) was established in 2018 to represent, lead, and advocate for the development of a net zero carbon economy in the Grampians region at a time when the renewable energy transition was just beginning to gain momentum. Since then, renewable energy generation in Victoria has grown substantially, and GNET provided key advice to position our region at the forefront of that change.
The Victorian Government now has dedicated departments overseeing the transition to net zero. The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) leads climate policy and the adoption of clean technologies, while VicGrid is responsible for delivering the transmission infrastructure needed to connect renewable energy zones and will support communities and businesses across the state.
In addition to its work with GNET, the Central Highlands Regional Partnership also supported key related developments in the region including the Hepburn Shire Council’s Waste to Energy Initiative, Federation University’s Asia Pacific Renewable Energy Training Centre and City of Ballarat’s BWEZ New Energy Future Package.