Climate Adaption Strategy Update

Published on 04 June 2026

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Council adopted its Climate Adaption Strategy 2024-2036 in August 2024 to strengthen community resilience and prepare for projected climate change impacts. At the Council meeting held on Wednesday 3 June 2026, a report was presented providing an update on progress to May 2026.

Since the Strategy was adopted, steady progress has been observed across the strategy’s five (5) key focus areas, which include:

  • supporting communities in preparing, enduring, and recovering from severe climate events;
  • strengthening the built environment to withstand impacts from changing climate;
  • protecting and enhancing natural resources and natural environments;
  • encouraging climate-smart practices in farming and business; and
  • embedding adaptation into Council’s own operations.

Over the past two (2) years, Hindmarsh Shire has experienced relatively favourable seasonal conditions, including higher rainfall, but climate science indicates that future trends will likely include increased variability, with hotter, drier conditions overall, more intense heatwaves and bushfire danger days, and greater extremes of flooding and drought.

Key achievements to date include:

  • working with emergency services to boost bushfire and heatwave readiness in local communities including preparation and maintenance of Wimmera 72 website and preparation of fire ready guides for Nhill, Dimboola and Rainbow township.
  • integrating climate adaptation measures into planning and asset management.
  • ongoing pest and weed control to protect biodiversity including tree planting initiatives funded through Victorian Landcare Grant program to support restoration of habitat for native fauna.
  • promotion of sustainable practices such as exploring renewable energy opportunities.
  • ongoing efforts to maximise the circular economy including roll out of Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection program as a part of kerbside collection service. The investigation works has also progressed for creation of a FOGO processing facility in Dimboola.

You can read the full report in the Council meeting Minutes for this meeting (see item 10.2). They are available on Council’s website at www.hindmarsh.vic.gov.au/council-meetings.

For more information, please contact Ram Upadhyaya, Director Infrastructure Services, on (03) 5391 4444, or email rupadhyaya@hindmarsh.vic.gov.au.  

Monica Revell
Chief Executive Officer

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