Hello from Council's Economic Development team, 

In this month's newsletter we provide a recap on two significant events – the Port Fairy Street Fair and Council's International Women's Day celebrations. Moyne also played host to the annual Murray to Moyne cycle relay, which raises funds for hospitals and health services across Victoria. It has been great to see the streets buzzing again with visitors and locals alike. Events are a significant driver of economic benefits to our region – they create reasons for people to travel, stay and play; they bring our community to life, support employment opportunities and help put our region on the map. 

Running alongside the Port Fairy Folk Festival, the inaugural Street Fair was a great success, thanks to Port Fairy Tourism in partnership with Moyne Shire Council. The Folk Festival is a key event in our tourism calendar, and helps deliver thousands of visitors to our doorstep. Council is looking forward to reviewing visitor data from the busy long weekend and has begun planning for an even bigger event in 2023! Check out the pics below from the event.

During March, Council also celebrated International Women's Day, with its 'Inspiring Women of Moyne' Awards held in Kirkstall. Presented by Cr Karen Foster and Mayor, Cr Ian Smith, along with guest speaker Dr Jessica Fishburn, these Awards highlighted the huge role women play across the Moyne community. Well done to each and every nominee and congratulations to the award recipients. Read more about this event and the winners below. 

Speaking of events, Council's Festival and Event Funding Program is now open, offering up to $10,000 per event to assist in planning and or delivery of a range of community festivals and events. The Program aims to support the valuable contribution that local businesses and organisations make to the social, cultural, economic and environmental wellbeing of Moyne Shire. Visit Council's website for more information or to apply.

We are looking forward to hosting the Victorian Small Business Commissioner, Lynda McAlary-Smith later this month. This visit follows on from Moyne signing the Small Business Friendly Council Charter. The Charter sets expectations for what small business owners can expect from working with Council. To read more about the charter visit Council's website. 

Moyne Shire Council celebrated International Women’s Day 2022 with its "Inspiring Women of Moyne" awards. The event was held at the Kirkstall Hotel and hosted by owners Tony and Julie Houlihan. Julie is also a past award recipient (2021) and our Moyne Shire Citizen of the Year.

The Inspiring Women of Moyne Awards aim to provide opportunities to help create a more inclusive environment for women in our region and to showcase the important contribution women make to the community – whether it be through their work, studies, families, relationships or community involvement. 

This year's winners are:

  • Hannah Morris – applauded for her volunteer work in the Kirkstall CFA and the Port Fairy SES
  • Carolyn Howe – lawyer working with the victims of Domestic and Family Violence in the South West region.
  • Melissa Coffey – Nurse Unit Manager and long time volunteer at the Port Fairy Football and Netball Club.
  • Fiona Hampson – works extensively with her local community, volunteers her time on various committees with the aim of creating a better lifestyle by improving access to information, advocating for support services and animal welfare.
The streets of Port Fairy were filled with tourists and locals, sampling all that our region has to offer over the Port Fairy Folk Festival long weekend. 

Moyne Shire Council, in partnership with Port Fairy Tourism, delivered an impressive event, with an array of local stalls, music, workshops, installations and entertainment as part of the refreshed Port Fairy Street Fair. The family-friendly event received overwhelming and positive feedback from many business owners across Port Fairy and beyond, who were grateful for the number of visitors brought to their doorstep. 

Organisers are looking forward to planning an even better event for 2023. If you are interested in getting involved, contact Council's Economic Development Team on 1300 656 564 or ecodev@moyne.vic.gov.au.


Silent Disco Walking ToursMarket Stalls


Live performancesFree live music

Agriculture Victoria offers an eLearning portal that is easy to use and informative. 

You can access a selection of online courses to be undertaken at your own pace, at any time and from anywhere with an internet connection, including:

  • Biosecurity courses
  • Farm and business management courses
  • Climate and weather courses
  • Livestock and animals courses
  • Agriculture recovery courses
  • Crops and horticulture courses

To access courses, you will need to create an account. This will allow you full access to the courses and it will track your progress as you move through them.



  • Join the FREE Strengthening Your Business Practices webinar to help manage your next crisis – before it happens.

    Learn how to put in place a practical plan to follow in the event of a threat to your business and hints to get you through the current situation. The webinar will cover a range of topics to help you:

    • Understand crisis planning
    • Respond and recover from a crisis
    • Plan and prepare for business challenges
    • Understand the impact of disaster
    • Apply emergency planning development tools
    • Identify key risks
    • Develop plans, strategies and actions to follow
    • Create your own crisis management plan
    • Access tools, templates, support and resources in future 


    Session times:
    Wednesday, 13 April 2022,      5:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Young Victorian farmers can now apply for the 2022 Upskill and Invest Young Farmers Scholarship Program.

The Program offers up to $10,000 to study and invest on-farm or in professional development activities.

Farm workers aged 35 or under, who have been working in a farm business for at least two years are invited to apply, and take the next step in their career in agriculture.

Applications close on Monday 18 April 2022.


Are you looking for digital advice for your small business?

The Digital Solutions Program works with you to adopt digital tools to save you time and money, and to help grow your business.

Who is this for?

Small businesses with fewer than 20 full-time (or equivalent) employees, as well as sole traders, can access services at the subsidised rate. The service is available across all metropolitan and regional areas in Australia.

How much does it cost?

The Digital Solutions program is $44 for 7 hours of support and your first interaction with the service is free. 

The Digital Solutions Program is developed in partnership with the Australian Small Business Advisory Services.


The Small Business Superannuation Clearing House is a service that allows small businesses of 19 or fewer employees to pay their super guarantee contributions in one simple transaction. 


Free support for small business owners and employees

Call the Partners in Wellbeing Helpline to talk to a trained financial counsellor, business adviser or wellbeing coach. Helpline consultations are free, confidential and provided on a one-on-one basis.
 
Contact the helpline on 1300 375 330 or visit partnersinwellbeing.org.au.

Dining Rebate Program Opens

The Victorian Dining and Entertainment Program offers 25% back on eligible dining and entertainment purchases across the state.

The program is available on a first come, first served basis until all funds are exhausted. The dining program is available Monday - Thursday, while the entertainment program can be used for expenses any day of the week.

Find out more and download a business pack here.

The Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program aims to contribute to the development of a highly skilled and relevant Australian workforce that supports economic sustainability and competitiveness. 

The Program contains a range of employer incentives and personal benefit payments to Australian Apprentices. In addition, the Program targets a broad range of traineeships and apprenticeships in new and emerging industries especially where future skills shortages are projected.


Get help to improve your business and take advantage of growth opportunities.

Growth services is a collection of services under the AusIndustry Entrepreneurs’ Programme that provide you with advice and funding to grow your business and become more competitive in global markets. 

What do you get?

You’ll be paired with an independent facilitator. Your facilitator will assess your business then recommend operational and growth opportunities, and give advice on applying for the Growth Grant. 

Who is this for?
Businesses working within, or supporting, one of the growth sectors who want assistance to grow and enter new markets. You can hear the stories from previous customers here.



If you can’t go to work or earn an income because you need to isolate, quarantine or are caring for someone with COVID-19, you could be eligible for the lump sum Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment. 


Grants and programs to support small business

A number of support initiatives are currently on offer through Business Victoria, including:

Small Business Digital Adaptation Program
Are you looking to build your online presence and digital capability? The Small Business Digital Adaptation Program provides $1,200 rebates so small businesses can access a range of tools to help modernise business operations.

Business Recovery and Resilience Mentoring 
Eligible business owners can access up to four, two-hour mentoring sessions to help navigate the challenges of COVID-19, including business recovery, market transformation, digital literacy, supply chain diversification, reskilling and retraining. 

Small Business Ventilation Program 
The Small Business Ventilation Program will help eligible public-facing small businesses to improve building ventilation in areas accessible to customers and reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. The Package includes a Ventilation Rebate of $500 and Ventilation Grant matched dollar for dollar, between $1000 and $5000. 

Jobs Victoria Fund
If you are a Victorian employer ready to hire new staff or increase hours of existing staff, the Jobs Victoria Fund can financially support you to employ people who have been most affected by the economic impacts of the pandemic.

Visit the Business Victoria website for more grants, programs and initiatives to support your business.


As a small business, you can reduce your running costs and greenhouse gas emissions through the Small Business Energy Saver Program.

Small businesses can receive up to $2,000 in bonuses to undertake energy-efficiency upgrades. By making the switch, eligible businesses can save up to 20% off the cost of installed equipment.


Applications close 31 May 2022.




Moyne Shire Council – Economic Development 
Phone: 1300 656 564 
Email: ecodev@moyne.vic.gov.au

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