The Yarrawonga Mulwala Development Inc (YMD), who lease rail land from VicTrack, will share in funding to help meet regulatory obligations, restorations or refurbishments to their buildings and land.
Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes announced that through the Community Grants Program that support groups with managing their community spaces, YMD would receive $6273.
Applications were assessed by a VicTrack panel, and the grants will be released to successful applicants early this year.
Secretary of the Yarrawonga Mulwala Development Inc Deidre Poll and President Elaine Price said that YMD is a community group that has been around since 1996 in various forms with their only focus currently being lease holders of the Yarrawonga Railway Station.
“Our Historic 1888 Yarrawonga Railway Station, which was saved in 2014 when $600,000 was received from the Victorian State Government's Community Use of Vacant Railway Buildings Program, has recently been allocated $6,273 from VicTrack 's Community Grants Program to cover maintenance items,” Ms Price said.
“In mid-2023 we applied for funding through VicTrack’s Community Grants Program with the panel assessing our application and advised that our request for $6,273 was successful.
“We applied for funds to help with cleaning and maintenance expenses. Currently we hire out the rooms at the railway station to community groups for meetings etc,” Ms Poll added.
“To date we haven’t been given the funds as they are still on the way.”
VicTrack makes underused land and buildings available to community organisations through its community leasing program. It charges groups an affordable rent, which is significantly reduced compared to a commercial rental rate.
“In March 2011 VicTrack, owner of the Railway Station, applied to Moira Shire for a demolition permit before the Yarrawonga Mulwala Historical Society Save Our Station (SOS) Committee was set up to raise funds and seek support for community restoration of the railway station,” Ms Poll said.
“In 2012 the application for demolition was suspended and the Victorian State Government introduced $10m Community Use of Vacant Railway Buildings Program.
“SOS request Yarrawonga Mulwala Development Inc (YMD) to adopt the railway station as a project and lodge nomination for funding so come Sept 2012, YMD accepted the railway station as a project and lodged a nomination for funding.
“In early 2014 stabilisation works were done on the railway station by VicTrack contractor and in June VicTrack met with YMD/SOS to announce acceptance of nomination for funding with YMD as lessee.
“August of that year YMD/SOS met with the VicTrack Architect and Moira Shire Council on concept drawings, design, etc and by April 2015 the refurbishment was completed.
“We then signed the lease for the refurbished Yarrawonga Railway Station with VicTrack on June 3, 2015 and the formal handover was made by The Hon James Merlino (Dep Premier) Minister for Education, and Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes on August 12, 2015.”
Ms Symes said that not-for-profit groups play such an important role in people’s lives and these VicTrack grants will ensure communities can continue to reap the benefits from them.
“This funding will make a huge difference to the many groups that lease VicTrack land and buildings across the state and will help them to continue to support their communities,” added Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams.
“I would like to thank everyone who has a community lease with VicTrack for the work they do to preserve our state’s rail history, and to manage buildings and land so they can be used to benefit local communities.”