Warrnambool City Council wants $2m for 2026 Commonwealth Games legacy

With little more than two years to get Games-ready, Warrnambool has joined with nine other regional cities to ramp up their campaign to ensure the regional Victoria Games provide a lasting legacy.

Launching the Winning Formula for Regional Victoria document on Wednesday, Regional Cities Victoria also wants all equipment provided for the Games donated to local regional sporting organisations.

The group is lobbying for the top 10 regional cities - including those which are not actually hosting events like Warrnambool - to get $2 million each to repair or upgrade sporting facilities.

A $1 million upgrade to Warrnambool's hockey pitch is in the pipeline with hopes it will position the city well to host visiting international teams for practice matches and training camps.

Warrnambool missed out on hosting any events for the Games, and a last-ditch bid to secure the marathon for the region's stunning coastline was also overlooked.

Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Gippsland will host the Games.

Under the "winning formula", each city would also get a slice of $30 million to create new parkland and upgrade existing open spaces for sites where people can view the Games live.

The campaign would ensure all regional cities benefited from the influx of athletes, visitors and the publicity the Games would bring.

The group recommends a "skills authority" liaison officer be based at each regional city for at least three years.

Under the plan, the Royal Baton Relay would visit each regional city and feature the work of an Indigenous artist.

Warrnambool mayor Debbie Arnott described the decision to have the Games in regional Victorian cities as inspired.

"...It was time now to ensure there were lasting, meaningful benefits from the international sporting event," she said.

"We're now working collaboratively to help achieve the best possible outcome for Victoria and for our city."

The council, as part of its bid to get a slice of the Games, had earmarked Warrnambool Stadium for an upgrade.

RCV chair Andrea Metcalf said the Games presented a unique opportunity that must reach all parts of the state and create a legacy for future generations.

"It is a priority that First Peoples and Traditional Owners are engaged in all aspects of the Games delivery and ensure they reflect Victoria's rich cultural history," she said.

"With the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund discontinued in the 2023-24 Victorian budget, our regional cities need assurances from the government that they will invest in our regions to ensure they continue to be great places to live, work and visit."

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