Establishment of the Munarra Centre for Regional Excellence at the Shepparton Sports Precinct will move a step closer with Greater Shepparton City Council to advertise an intention to lease the land.
The First Nations centre would include education, culture, arts and sport facilities, with the aim of creating healthy people, healthy communities and the leaders of tomorrow.
In 2018 the council signed a heads of agreement with the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Kaiela Institute, Rumbalara Football and Netball Club, and the University of Melbourne to facilitate the project.
Land at the south end of the Rumbalara grounds would expand current facilities to include the Academy of Sport, Health and Education, student residential accommodation, a performing arts space, a sports medicine and science consulting facility and a child care centre.
At the same meeting, council approved a $3.2 million tender for construction of drainage infrastructure components of the project. The successful tenderer, Apex Earthworks Pty Ltd, is expected to start construction in early 2022.
Under a new governance model authorised by the Aboriginal Affairs Minister the lease would be directly with Munarra Limited.
Cr Fern Summer told the December meeting she was exited to see what positive outcomes would emerge from the project.
“Our role is more a facilitation role in helping to establish this so they can have a level of self-determination,” she said.
The motion to negotiate and execute the lease needed for the facility was carried unanimously.