Community Consultation at Ararat Rural City

At Ararat Rural City Council, we are committed to keeping our community informed and creating genuine opportunities for people to have their say. We know strong local decisions are built on open information, clear communication and meaningful community input. 

We consult with residents in a range of ways, from online engagement through Engage Ararat to face-to-face drop-in sessions and regular public updates on key projects, plans and documents. This approach helps make it easier for people across our municipality to stay informed, ask questions and contribute to Council decision-making. 

How we listen

We use a mix of online and in-person engagement so community members can take part in the way that suits them best. Through Engage Ararat, people can review projects, read background information and provide feedback on important Council plans, policies and local initiatives. 

This has included consultation on annual budgets, the Community Vision and Draft Council Plan, the Revenue and Rating Plan, Governance Rules, the Draft Environmental Sustainability Strategy and the Draft Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan. These opportunities are part of our commitment to making decision-making more transparent and accessible. 

Meeting people in community

As well as online consultation, Council regularly takes engagement into the community. Our draft budget engagement has included community drop-in sessions in local townships and at Council offices, giving residents the chance to ask questions, speak directly with staff and share feedback in person. 

For example, in early 2026 we took the draft budget out to our townships, hosting drop-in sessions held in places including Lake Bolac, Buangor and Tatyoon along with Ararat. These sessions reflect our focus on making consultation practical, local and welcoming. 

Keeping information public

Transparency also means making important information easy to find and easy to understand. Council publishes key documents for community review and uses public channels to share updates on works, priorities and decisions. 

This includes making draft budgets and strategic documents available for feedback, along with sharing updates on projects such as the Buangor Ben-Nevis Road bridge works. Public updates on the bridge works have helped keep the community informed about road closures, detours, construction timing and progress. 

Examples in action

Our consultation work covers a wide range of topics, from infrastructure and planning to inclusion, governance and community wellbeing. Recent examples include feedback opportunities on Council’s budget process, Governance Rules, future use of community spaces, and the Draft Disability Action Plan. 

The Draft Disability Action Plan and related working group opportunities are strong examples of Council’s commitment to inclusive engagement. They show how consultation can go beyond a single survey or submission period and create ongoing opportunities for people to help shape Council’s future direction. 

Our commitment

We are committed to:

• Sharing information early and clearly. 
• Making important documents publicly available. 
• Providing both online and face-to-face ways to participate.
• Keeping the community updated as projects and plans progress. 
• Continuing to improve how we listen, respond and report back. 

At Ararat Rural City Council, community consultation and transparency are an important part of how we work. Whether it is a budget, a major project, a draft plan or a local priority, we want our community to feel informed, included and heard.

Images include: 

• Community consultation session for bridge works on Buangor Ben-Nevis Road with local residents
• The Disability Action Group, advising on our disability strategies
• Anastasia Withers, who now has a namesake Lane in Moyston after extensive community consultation
• A recent laneway naming consultation
• The Sport and Recreation strategy underwent over 12 months of community consultation
• Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan consultation was a great success
• The Ararat skate park came about through community consultation
• Our Libraries have a strategy that was designed alongside the community
• Each year, our Draft Budgets are made available to the public at Council offices, as well as taken around to townships for drop-in sessions