General News
20 June, 2026
Tiny Towns grant delivers $33,000 for Warrak playground
THE rejuvenation of the Warrak Recreation Reserve has taken another big step forward with the committee of management successfully applying for government funding. The Member for Ripon Martha Haylett announced recently that Warrak was successful in the Tiny Towns program receiving $33,000 towards the cost of new playground equipment at the reserve.
The funding is a shot in the arm for the local community after the previous playground was decommissioned due to safety concerns.
Reserve Secretary John Moss said receiving Tiny Towns funding was a huge lift for his committee.
“That’s the bulk of the money we need and without it, it wouldn’t happen,” he said.
“It’s a case now of putting a playground in so there is something for the kids to do.
“With rural ageing, if we can get younger people and their families involved, it will be good for our community,” he said.
Mr Moss said the playground would also help improve visitation to the reserve.
“It’s not just for people in the immediate area, if you have a playground and toilets, then families will go there.
Ms Haylett said it was a great outcome for the Warrak community.
“It’s a significant amount of money and a lot of volunteers who’ve received Tiny Towns funding have said to me that sort of money would take so long to raise through sausage sizzles and market stalls to get that $33,000.
“For the government to come in and help small rural communities, it makes such a difference,” she said.
Ms Haylett said the Tiny Towns fund is helping get important projects underway in small communities.
“To really put a spotlight on our smaller towns, the fact we have this fund that provides between $5,000 and $50,000 per community is really great for small communities. I know people in smaller communities feel most of the funding goes to bigger communities but this fund is helping to address that,” Ms Haylett said.
The project is one of the initiatives across 151 towns to receive support through the latest round of the $20 million Tiny Towns Fund.
Minister for Regional Development, Michaela Settle, said the fund was helping regional communities build the infrastructure they need to thrive.
"Some of Victoria's best communities are also our smallest, and the Tiny Towns Fund is helping make sure they have the facilities and infrastructure they need to thrive," she said.
Ms Haylett said dedicated funding programs such as the Tiny Towns Fund were vital for smaller communities.
"It's good that we can have a fund like the Tiny Towns Fund that is dedicated to the smaller communities so they can have a spotlight on them and they can actually get that funding and it doesn't just get absorbed into the larger communities. Warrak is a beautiful place and it deserves the upgrades it needs. That's what we want, to keep our strong communities growing and thriving."
The funding agreement for the Warrak Recreation Reserve is expected to be in place by the end of June.
The committee expect the new equipment to be installed by October.
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