Indi has ideas for Canberra

More than 220 people from across the electorate took their ideas and feedback to the summit held at the Lakeside Community Centre in Benalla.

“The aim is to grow a prosperous, caring community with opportunities for everyone,” Ms McGowan said.

“All the outcomes were community-inspired and driven.

“It was empowering, voices were heard and respected and it was a huge learning on how different bodies work together.”

People were divided into 15 group workshops where they fleshed out what the region did well, where there were opportunities to do new things and how to make them happen.

They covered topics including refugees, education, transport, historical heritage and small business.

Ms McGowan said water in the Murray Darling Basin was a major issue as 50 per cent comes out of Indi, but only some sections like the Ovens River are metered in detail.

“There’s no regional plan for how that water is used,” she said.

She committed to working with catchment management authorities and the Victorian Government to produce for data on rivers.

The summit also heard from guest speakers during a “Big Ideas” panel, including born-and-bred resident Sam Millar who provided an insight on the environment.

Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship chief executive Matt Pfahlert, based in Beechworth, spoke about social enterprise and Wangaratta Jazz Festival vice-chair Emma Jones covered the arts and cultural economy.

Ms Jones said an advisory group for arts in Indi would be formed in the first half on 2016 after discussions at the summit revealed small groups with limited budgets struggle to promote themselves.

“We have a really thriving arts scene in Indi, it’s just not very visible,” she said.

“The biggest challenge facing these small groups, along with volunteer fatigue, is having that professional expertise.”

Ms McGowan will release a report on the Indi Summit next month.