20 November 2025

In this edition of Business Link - Business Award winners announced, Maldon Shop 'n Win, 'Support Our Own, Choose Locally Grown' campaign, new Council business grants, drought support, business mentoring and more.

Mount Alexander Business Award winners announced

Last night Council hosted the awards night at Boomtown Winery & Bistro, celebrating the many thriving local businesses in our shire. 

Like Butter took out the award for Business of the Year. Congratulations to them, and all the other category winners:

• Local Food Excellence - Superhero Bánh Mì
• Accessibility Champion - Big4 Castlemaine Gardens Holiday Park
• Sustainability Hero - Green Goes the Grocer
• NextGen Champion - Shedshaker Brewing
• Innovation & Technology - Like Butter
• Outstanding Workplace - PJ's Discount Tyre Service
• Community Impact - Tarrangower Times
• People's Choice - joint winners Castlemaine Community Investment Co-operative and Shedshaker Brewing

Support Our Own. Choose Locally Grown: Expression of Interest (EOI) now open

Are you a grower or retailer of locally grown produce? Healthy Loddon Campaspe is running a campaign in March/April 2026 to increase awareness and consumption of locally grown fruit and veg available in our region, and is seeking growers and retailers to spotlight. 

As part of the campaign, you will be featured on the Healthy Loddon Campaspe website and social media, included on a region map of locally grown produce, and be invited to be involved in other marketing activity. 

Local Impact Business Grants

Council is launching a new grant program to support local businesses, business associations, farmer networks and community-run groups.
The grants will fund practical projects that help businesses keep skills and jobs local, grow community wealth, improve wellbeing and adopt more sustainable practices.

💲Amounts of up to $5,000 are available
🗓️Applications open 15 December 2025

More information, and eligibility details coming soon. 

Drought support for Victorian primary producers

The Victorian Government is providing direct support of $144 million for farmers across Victoria impacted by drought conditions across the state. The measures below are available in addition to co-contribution grants, a farm advisory service and financial counselling:

On-Farm Kangaroo Control Rebate - farmers across Victoria impacted by kangaroos competing for pasture and crops can apply for the On-Farm Kangaroo Control Rebate.
Farmers who hold an Authority to Control Wildlife (ATCW) can use the rebate to hire authorised professional harvesters who have accreditation from the Game Management Authority.
Eligible farmers can access up to 3 rebates of $450 each (ex-GST) with a 25% co-contribution. Read more here.

Duties and Fees relief package - helps to reduce the cost of doing business for Victorian primary producers affected by drought.
The package includes measures to waive a raft of livestock biosecurity duties, plant biosecurity fees, beekeeper registration fees, food safety fees and other service charges, delivering more than $10 million in relief to Victorian producers. Learn more here.

WorkSafe grants

WorkSafe is committed to reducing workplace harm and improving outcomes for injured workers. WorkSafe’s grants are a key enabler to working with others to drive improvements in safety and support. 

The theme for the 2025-26 grant funding round is manufacturing, with a focus on supporting solutions that make the biggest difference and have the greatest impact on the health, safety and wellbeing of Victorian workers in the manufacturing industry.

🗓️Applications close 3 December
💲Up to $300,000 per project

Business skills mentoring program

Business Victoria's new program will provide up to 1,000 eligible small business owners with three one-hour mentoring sessions to be used within three months.

The program will help you build skills, set goals and navigate challenges that are relevant to your business needs. Mentors can advise on a wide range of business topics including, but not limited to, marketing, communication, finance, strategic planning, digitalisation and change management. 

The program is for small business owners in 6 priority sectors:

• advanced manufacturing and defence
• agribusiness
• circular economy
• digital technologies
• health technologies and medical research
• regional tourism.

Follow us on social media

Mount Alexander Shire Council
email: business@mountalexander.vic.gov.au  web: www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au

Mount Alexander Shire Council acknowledges that the traditional custodians of this
land, the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung peoples, proudly survive. We acknowledge their continued practice of custom and their close cultural, spiritual, physical, social, historical and economic relationship with the land and waters that make up
their country, which includes Mount Alexander Shire.