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STREET LIGHTING
LIGHTING THE
Changing minds – a once in a lifetime opportunity
Lighting the Regions shows
what is possible when local
government and the Australian
Government join forces to
address the challenges of
climate change and rising
energy prices. Sixteen local
governments across north,
west and central Victoria
have formed an important
partnership to implement
what will be the largest street
lighting project in Victoria.
This project will pull together
the expertise, resourcing and
financial resources required to
take energy efficiency action
together with our communities.
This $9M project, which
covers nearly half of regional
Victoria, was made possible
with the assistance of more
than $5M of funding from the Australian
Government as part of the Community Energy
Efficiency Program and will run until June 2016.
The project has significant support from
the Wimmera Mallee Sustainability Alliance
(WMSA) and the Central Victorian Greenhouse
Alliance (CVGA). The City of Greater Bendigo
will undertake the role of lead council for the
partnership group.
WMSA and CVGA have actively encouraged and
engaged all the local government partners in
participating in the project. This has allowed for
a close collaboration across the region and the
presentation of opportunities to leverage other
government and community energy efficiency
programs across the northwest and central parts
of Victoria.
Ray Kingston, Chair of WMSA and also Chair of
the Lighting the Regions Project Steering Group,
said, “Lighting the regions is an opportunity to
implement a once in a generation change to
street lighting that will save local governments
Govlink Issue 2 2013
significantly, allowing them to provide better, cost
effective services to our communities.”
The Lighting the Regions Project will oversee
the replacement of almost 23,000 street lights
to more energy efficient technology which will
reduce energy consumption and save these
regional communities over $41M over 20 years in
energy costs. Communities from Maryborough to
Mildura will work together through this project
to demonstrate a strong commitment to energy
efficiency action together with our communities.
Through targeted awareness raising activities, this
project will directly support local communities
and local government to reduce energy-based
emissions and costs.
The 15 other local government partners in
the project are; Central Goldfields, Hepburn,
Pyrenees, Loddon, Swan Hill, Gannawarra,
Mount Alexander, Buloke, Ararat, Northern
Grampians, Hindmarsh, Horsham, Yarriambiak,
West Wimmera and Mildura. The utilisation of a
collaborative approach to the funding proposal