Data-Driven Infrastructure Planning: Ballarat’s Shift to Community-Centric Budgeting

Located in regional Victoria, the City of Ballarat is one of the state's fastest-growing municipalities, home to over 116,000 residents and rich in cultural heritage and civic pride. With a significant infrastructure portfolio valued at approximately AUD 2 billion, the City faced increasing pressure to deliver sustainable community services, maintain its assets, and plan for future growth.

To meet these challenges, Ballarat worked with Modelve to develop a modernised Asset Plan underpinned by a robust life cycle modelling platform. The initiative focused on aligning asset investment decisions with long-term service outcomes, using data to support transparency, fiscal responsibility, and community engagement.

Modelve’s scenario planning engine—particularly its nexus-based design—enabled Council to incorporate community values directly into budget deliberations. The platform’s storyboard functionality allowed the City to visualise key trade-offs, such as the impact of rate capping, capital debt, and funding prioritisation. These visual artefacts supported clearer internal discussions and more transparent external communication.

Crucially, Ballarat integrated climate, gender, health, and demographic data to inform a more holistic infrastructure strategy. This health-based life cycle modelling ensures that asset decisions are responsive to shifting community needs while meeting modern expectations for equity and sustainability.

As Vaughn Notting, Executive Manager Infrastructure, noted:

"It was nice to say that this is the first year we have really had the ability to assess our infrastructure and make good use of the data collected to inform our Capex Programs. Councillors were very impressed, which enables them to trust that we are providing the most effective and efficient service. With improved visibility and modelling capabilities, Ballarat has positioned itself to make more confident, community-aligned decisions and adapt to future pressures with greater agility."