Community Vision 2041

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What is Future Wellington?

Future Wellington is the name of the project Council launched in early 2024 to ask big questions about the future of our Shire and involve the community in shaping the answers.

Through Future Wellington, we asked thousands of local people what they want life in Wellington to look like in 2041 and even beyond. We explored what matters most to them - the places they value, the challenges they face, and the hopes they hold for the next generation.

This engagement shaped the Community Vision 2041, and also informed the development of the Council Plan, Live Well in Wellington, Asset Plan and Financial Plan.

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Community Vision 2041

"Connected, inclusive communities, a thriving economy, a resilient environment and a sustainable future"

The Community Vision 2041 is the long-term vision for Wellington Shire, setting the direction for the next 20 years. It outlines the kind of place our community wants to live in, now and into the future, and acts as a foundation for all of Council’s major planning decisions.

Under the Local Government Act 2020, every Victorian council is required to work with its community to develop a vision that reflects local values and aspirations. In Wellington, this process was led by the community through our Future Wellington project.

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Our Guiding Principles

To support the vision, six guiding principles were developed by the Future Wellington Think Tank. The Think Tank is a group of individuals whose background and experiences are representative of the entire Wellington Shire community. These principles are all connected and reflect the community’s priorities:
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1. Promote economic innovation and foster local prosperity to drive sustainable growth.
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2. Commit to enviromental stewardship and build resilience to protect our natural resources and ensure a sustainable future.
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3. Engage with and support young people as key contributors to the future of our community.
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4. Preserve and celebrate cultural heritage and diversity to enrich our community.
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5. Foster connected and accessible communities that promote inclusivity, social intergration, and access to services and transport, for all ages and abilities.
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6. Listen to and actively seek feedback from the community; ensure transparent decision-making and communicate effectively with the community about Council resources.

You'll see these principles reflected in the work we do, particularly through the Council Plan 2025-2029 and the Major Initiatives and Actions listed on this website.

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How the Community Vision 2041 was developed

This Community Vision 2041 was shaped by the people of Wellington Shire.

To make sure the plan reflects what matters most to our community, we undertook a large-scale engagement process as part of Future Wellington. Over several months, we invited residents to share their ideas, priorities, and aspirations for the future of things like connectivity between places, community facilities, open spaces and health and wellbeing.

The engagement took place in three stages between July 2024 and July 2025:

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Stage 1: Community Check-in

We began the engagement by asking the community what they care about most. Roughly 1,900 people participated through surveys, workshops, drawing and photo competitions, pop-up events, and postcards across more than 40 locations. This helped us hear from people of all ages, backgrounds, and towns across the Shire.

You can learn more about this process and what we heard by viewing the Future Wellington Community Check-in Report.

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Stage 2: Future Wellington Think Tank

To dig deeper, we formed a community Think Tank, a group of 22 residents from all walks of life. Over a series of workshops, they explored the feedback from Stage 1, heard from experts, shared their own ideas, and worked together to make recommendations. Their input helped shape the new Community Vision and the Guiding Principles.

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Stage 3: Sharing the draft plan

Once a draft was ready, we invited the community to review it and let us know if it aligned with what they’d shared earlier. This final step made sure the plan stayed true to community needs and aspirations.

This process followed deliberative engagement principles, which means we gave people the information, time, and opportunity to influence decisions in a meaningful way. The outcome is a Vision built on local knowledge, lived experience, and shared priorities, all designed to serve our community now and into the future.

The Community Vision 2041 is truly community-led, developed by the Future Wellington Think Tank and supported by Wellington Shire Councillors in 2025.