Key council blueprint guides next 12 months

Make our city more liveable.

It is a simple concept but it is the most accurate summary of what the City of Mount Gambier is looking to achieve in 2024.

Of course, underlying that goal is a raft of projects, ideas and priorities and council has an informative reference point – the Partnerships, Priorities and Advocacy 2024-2025 document that is a blueprint for council and what it is looking to deliver for this community.

City of Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin OAM said the comprehensive document has been created to give council a clear framework.

“It assists us in advocating State and Federal governments and other key stakeholders for improved services,” Mayor Martin said.

Local transport, housing, health, palliative care and tourism remain the cornerstones of council’s 2024 plans.

“We have been advocating for some years for an improved (public transport) service,” Mayor Martin said. “We’ve got a meeting with Minister Tom Koutsantonis in March to discuss further and we want to ensure Mount Gambier is included in the State Government’s Regional Transport review this year.

“The current service is inadequate for our needs. It is really important we have a service that meets the needs of the community today and into the future.”

Hopes are high the housing crisis will be somewhat alleviated by the State Government’s Regional Key Worker Housing Scheme, which is looking to build new homes for police, teachers and health care workers.

“That will free up other hosing for the general public but there’s a lot more work to be done there,” Mayor Martin said.

Primary health care and preventative health services continue to be a priority and council is right behind the radiation therapy service campaign that will ramp up again on the back of the upcoming release of the feasibility study.

“It is always important for our community to continue to attract people to live here – they require excellence in health and education,” Mayor Martin said.

Council will also continue to work with local advocates to secure a sustainable funding model for the In Home Hospice Care service, which has proven to be a valuable asset for this community since its inception a couple of years ago.

Under the banner of tourism, council is also set to focus on maximising the value of the Crater Lakes, Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre and the district more broadly as they look to attract more events to inject more cash into the local economy.

“The Crater Lakes are such an important natural asset,” Mayor Martin said. “Volcanoes, sinkholes, caves and crater lakes – that’s the image we are looking to promote, being authentic to what we are.

“We are looking to work with State Government in attracting spin-offs from larger scale events like Gather Round. We are looking to attract events, pre and post those kind of major Adelaide based events, here in Mount Gambier and that will be significant for the regional economy.

“We are also looking to secure some smaller scale events that could easily be hosted here rather than in Adelaide.”

Construction of the Mount Gambier to Penola section of the rail trail to link in with the Naracoorte to Penola trail is also on the to-do list – another project that will attract visitors but also be valuable for local residents.

And while council continues to focus on those 2024 priorities, bedding down the Mount Gambier 2035 strategic plan also looms large.

Community consultation took place in November and December last year, with that feedback now set to be refined before a community panel is convened during March and April and then the next draft will be back in community hands in May.