Council signs up to ‘Smart Shires’ network

By Lachlan Ellis

Moorabool Shire Council has partnered with two neighbouring councils to boost council operations with new technology, sharing in $750,000 from the State Government.

Council has signed on to the Smart Shires Network project, collaborating with Golden Plains and Hepburn Shire Councils to lobby the State Government for funding.

Each Council has received $250,000 under Round 2 of the Rural Councils Transformation Grants program, which will be spent developing a Long-Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) across the three Local Government Areas.

In total, 30 LoRaWAN gateways will be installed across an area spanning 6,287 km2, establishing an open ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) network.

This network will allow the three councils to monitor and report on existing assets in real-time, with potential uses including monitoring of public toilet and rubbish bin usage to maximise cleaning efficiency, and monitoring patronage at local events.

The network will also be available for the community and local businesses to access, to deploy their own sensors for gathering of data relevant to their needs.

Moorabool Shire Council CEO, Derek Madden, said Council was still planning how to best establish the network in Moorabool.

“Council has co-signed the Smart Shires Network grant, and we look forward to working with Golden Plains and Hepburn Shires to deliver the project. We are still in the process of looking at what how we will roll this out and what it will look like for Moorabool,” Mr Madden told the Moorabool News.

Golden Plains Shire Mayor Cr Gavin Gamble thanked the State Government for its support, and said the network would be a great asset for all three communities.

“It’s fantastic to be working alongside our neighbouring councils of Moorabool and Hepburn Shires, with support from the Victorian Government, to deliver a Long-Range Wide Area Network. It is expected this network will deliver savings and efficiencies within our organisations, creating better outcomes for our communities,” Cr Gamble said.

“With the establishment of this network and the installation of IoT sensors across the Shire, Council and other local businesses, farm enterprises and tourism operators will be able to obtain sensor data and insights, supporting data-driven decision making and growth.”