General News
6 June, 2026
Hindmarsh surplus below budget
AT the council meeting held on May 6, the Council Plan Actions for 2025/2026, Capital Works Progress for 2025/2026 and Financial Report for the period ending March 31 were received.
The council completed its financial report for the third quarter of the 2025/2026 year, providing the community with a transparent view of how the budget has been tracking and the financial trends that have emerged.
As of March 31, the council reported a year‑to‑date surplus of $909,587.
This is lower than the budgeted surplus of $3.5 million, mainly because half of the annual Financial Assistance Grant was paid early in the previous financial year rather than in quarterly instalments as expected.
On the capital works front, the council spent $3.9 million of the $5.2 million budget, with most road and infrastructure projects scheduled for completion in the final quarter of the financial year.
Council Plan Actions highlights
At the start of 2025/2026, Council set 111 actions for the year to help achieve the objectives of the Council Plan.
Some key achievements over the last three months include:
• Completion of the Hindmarsh Outdoor Pool season and commencement of the postseason review.
• Screening of Shared Table: Regional Heroes at the Nhill Cinema.
• Commencement of participation in the Business-Friendly Councils program.
• Completion of the MacPherson Street raised pedestrian crossing in Nhill.
• Curation works completed at the Wimmera Mallee Pioneer Museum.
• Starting the roll-out of the online community and business directory on the council’s website.
• Completion of the Industrial Land Business Case.
Capital Works Progress highlights
The capital works program has progressed well in 2025/2026, with all sealed shoulder resheets, most of the unsealed road resheets, and the reseal program now complete.
Some of the major projects that commenced in the 2024/2025 financial year and were carried forward into 2025/2026 have now also been completed.
Some of the completed projects include:
• Sealed road construction on Netherby-Lorquon Road, Tarranyurk-East Road and major patch works across the Shire.
• Shoulder re-sheets on Diapur-Yanac Road, Old Minyip Road and Antwerp-Woorak Road.
• Gravel road construction on Five Chain Road, Boyeo Tarranginnie Road, Yanac South Road, Propodollah-Netherby Road and Katyil-Wail Road.
• Kerb and channel works on Brougham Street, Nhill.
• Raised pedestrian crossing at McPherson Street, Nhill.
• Footpath construction works in Lloyd Street, Dimboola.
• Construction of a cabin with three studio units in Nhill Caravan Park.
• Installation of heating system in Jeparit Swimming Pool.
Over the past nine months, Council has completed 549 customer action requests and graded over 250 kilometres of the Shire’s gravel road network.