Economic Development Strategy

Warrnambool experienced a 50 per cent growth in non-residential investment in the space of a year, and 2022 has been another record year for economic growth. Over the past decade, the value of non-residential building approvals in Warrnambool have historically averaged around $35 million each other and includes office, retail, industrial and commercial buildings. Investment pipeline across the city is strong and is a positive signal for business confidence. Major projects from many of the city’s largest employers were either at advanced planning or under construction and cover a wide range of sectors from health care services, education, food processing sector, aged care, child care and utility authorities.

Warrnambool has a unique position where economic strength lies in its diversity and growing significance as a regional services centre. Therefore, the 2023-2028 Warrnambool Economic Development and Investment Strategy has been under development to provide direction and promotion of the many of initiatives considered most necessary to ensure continued growth. It is expected to be finalised and published around April 2023.

In the meantime, the previous and relevant strategy reports can be referred and they are:

Great South Coast Regional Economic Development Strategy
Great South Coast Regional Economic Development Strategy
Economic Development & Investment Strategy 2015-2020
Economic Development & Investment Strategy 2015-2020
Economic Analysis of Food and Fibre in the Great South Coast
Economic Analysis of Food and Fibre in the Great South Coast
Visitor Economy Master Plan for the Great Ocean Road Region 2021-2030
Visitor Economy Master Plan for the Great Ocean Road Region 2021-2030
Great South Coast Food and Fibre Strategy and Action plan
Great South Coast Food and Fibre Strategy and Action plan
Regional Digital Strategy
Regional Digital Strategy

Business Survey

Warrnambool Business Survey Report 2022
Warrnambool Business Survey Report 2022
Pulse Survey 2021
Pulse Survey 2021
Pulse Survey 2020
Pulse Survey 2020

What is Council’s role?

Warrnambool City Council’s role, led by the Economic Development Team, is to inform, educate, engage, collaborate and empower you as stakeholders to be a part of developing agreed initiatives for the city’s new Economic Development Strategy. Once the strategy is endorsed by Council, Economic Development Team will partner and lead the initiatives to achieve the results we all want for our city.