Alpine Shire Council has acknowledged the significant contribution of the community to its decision-making, with new figures showing strong participation across a wide range of engagement projects.
Council has committed to biannual community engagement reporting as part of its focus on improving how it listens to and works with the community, supporting the Customer Focused Alpine objective of the Council Plan 2025–2029.
The latest Community Engagement Report provides a snapshot of engagement activity undertaken between October 2025 and March 2026, highlighting the number of projects delivered, participation levels and how people had their say.
During the reporting period, Council delivered 12 community engagement opportunities, covering a broad cross-section of Council services and priorities, including access and inclusion, planning and development, sport and recreation, asset and financial planning, environment and climate action, transport and road safety, community infrastructure, tourism and urban design.
All engagement opportunities were available online via Council’s engagement platform, Engage Alpine, as well as in printed form through Council’s Customer Service Centre in Bright and libraries in Bright, Mount Beauty and Myrtleford, ensuring people could participate regardless of digital access.
Face-to-face opportunities such as market pop-ups, drop-in sessions and direct stakeholder engagement added further opportunity for community members to ask questions and provide feedback, and engagement opportunities were also regularly communicated in the local newspapers and on Alpine FM broadcasts.
Alpine Shire Mayor, Cr Sarah Nicholas, said the report demonstrates the community’s strong interest in shaping local decisions.
“Our community continues to show how much it cares about the future of Alpine Shire,” she said.
“From budgets and infrastructure to climate action and place-based projects, people are taking the time to share thoughtful feedback, and that input genuinely informs Council’s work.”
Key highlights from the reporting period include growing interest in financial and budget matters, with the Budget 2026/27 engagement receiving 97 submissions – the highest response since pre-budget engagement was introduced four years ago.
Environment and climate-related projects also attracted consistent participation, reflecting strong community interest in sustainability and long-term environmental planning.
Online engagement continues to be tracked through Engage Alpine, which has almost 2,000 registered users. Across all projects, engagement generated thousands of website visits, strong social media reach and hundreds of contributions.
Cr Nicholas said signing up to Engage Alpine is the easiest way for community members to stay informed and involved in Council decisions.
"By registering, people can choose their areas of interest and preferred locations, ensuring they receive email updates when new projects and engagement opportunities are launched," she said.
"This helps residents participate in topics that matter most to them, at a time that suits them, and ensures their voices are heard early in the decision‑making process.
“We encourage everyone to sign up to Engage Alpine so they don’t miss opportunities to have their say on issues that matter to them.”
Residents can view current engagement opportunities and register at https://engage.alpineshire.vic.gov.au
To read the full Community Engagement Report, visit: Biannual Reporting of Community Engagement Campaigns and Outcomes