Growing Suburbs Fund

The Growing Suburbs Fund (GSF) is a $425 million investment over 8 years in critical local infrastructure in Melbourne's diverse and fast-growing outer suburbs.

In the recent 2022-23 State Budget, the Victorian Government announced $50 million in funding for the Growing Suburbs Fund to continue to support the infrastructure needs of interface and peri-urban communities.

In the 2021-22 GSF, 43 projects have been funded with a total project cost of $163.46 million to support community infrastructure projects across Melbourne's interface and peri-urban councils.

Since its establishment in 2015, the Growing Suburbs fund has supported 299 projects representing a total infrastructure investment of $1.078 billion.

Projects that received funding from 2021-22 GSF funding round have been approved by the Minister for Local Government, are listed in the table below.

Council	Project Name	Grant Amount
Bass Coast Shire Council	Inverloch to Wonthaggi Trail	$3,000,000
Baw Baw Shire Council	Baw Baw Civic Precinct Stage 1	$3,500,000
Cardinia Shire Council	Garfield North Community Centre Cannibal Creek Reserve Main Street Pakenham Revitalisation Eastern Dandenong Ranges Trail Connection	$1,300,000 $1,000,000 $200,000
Casey City Council	Gwendoline Children's Centre Upgrade Ray Bastin Reserve Redevelopment Project Tooradin Public Hall Upgrade Myuna Farm Pavilion Improvements that support People living with Disabilities	$926,000 $1,600,000 $350,000 $351,105
Golden Plains Shire Council	Rokewood Community Hub and Pavilion Upgrade	$3,500,000
Hume City Council	Sunbury Park Upgrade Westmeadows Shopping Precinct Upgrade Valley Park Community Centre Progress Reserve Redevelopment Stage 1 Village Green (Rolling Meadows) Playspace Upgrade Forrest Street Playspace Upgrade	$350,000 $189,750 $1,000,000 $650,000 $256,000 $260,000
Macedon Ranges Shire Council	Riddells Creek Leisure Centre Multi-Purpose Room Expansion	$230,000
Melton City Council	Cobblebank Community Services Hub Earlington Square Reserve Upgrade Navan Park Upgrade The Parkway Reserve Upgrade Bridge Road Recreations Reserve Stage 2	$4,000,000 $450,000 $560,297 $650,000 $800,000
Mitchell Shire Council	Greenhill Reserve Playspace Project Wallan Central Cycle and Nature Trail Project Ryans Creek Reserve Activation Stage Two Chittick Park Accessible Playspace Project	$110,000 $800,000 $900,000 $750,000
Moorabool Shire Council	Ballan Library & Community Hub Project	$3,500,000
Mornington Peninsula Shire Council	Somerville to Baxter Shared Path	$3,000,000
Nillumbik Shire Council	Diamond Hills Preschool Redevelopment Project Hurstbridge Men's Shed Project	$2,915,117 $364,352
Whittlesea City Council	Community Energy Transition Program Worchester Park Bushfire Regeneration South Morang Precinct Improvements Patterson Drive Community Centre Huskisson Reserve Pedestrian and Cycling Access Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre	$250,000 $275,000 $425,000 $2,000,000 $325,000 $225,000
Wyndham City Council	Manor Lakes North Family Centre Black Forest Road South Community Centre Truganina Community Centre	$1,000,000 $1,300,000 $4,000,000
Yarra Ranges Shire Council	Wesburn Park Pump Track Climate Resilient Buildings for our Community Glenvalley Reserve Playspace Carmen Reserve Playspace	$470,000 $1,500,000 $129,000 $129,000

Who is Eligible?

The 10 interface and 6 peri-urban councils were eligible to apply.

Interface councils: Cardinia Shire Council, Casey City Council, City of Whittlesea, Hume City Council, Melton City Council, Mitchell Shire Council, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, Nillumbik Shire Council, Wyndham City Council, Yarra Ranges Shire Council.
Peri-urban councils: Bass Coast Shire Council, Baw Baw Shire Council, Golden Plains Council, Macedon Ranges Shire Council, Moorabool Shire Council, Surf Coast Shire Council.

The fund was expanded in June 2020 to cover peri-urban councils that face similar population growth and infrastructure challenges as the Victoria’s interface councils.

As a group, the interface and peri-urban councils comprise of 31.4 per cent of Victoria's population. For over two decades, population growth in these areas has exceeded the State's average, and this trend is expected to continue with around 900,000 additional residents expected to be living in the interface and peri-urban areas by 2036.