The West of Melbourne Economic Development Alliance (WoMEDA) was established with an independent board and the support of Victoria University in 2017.
The primary objective is to influence new economic development opportunities and create more local jobs in the West of Melbourne.
WoMEDA is focused on the area covered by the six Councils that work together through LeadWest (the regional organisation for the west): Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melton, Moonee Valley, and Wyndham.
Economic impact analysis by leading Victoria University economist, Professor Rod Maddock, has found that the economic impact of investment in the doubling of Scienceworks’ size would be, at a minimum, 200 new jobs during the construction phase and about 100 new jobs after construction due to increased tourism.
Along with the Werribee Zoo, Scienceworks is one of two major cultural assets of the West of Melbourne, one of the fastest growing regions in Australia, approaching a population of one million.
Read the report: Expanding & upgrading Scienceworks: too big an opportunity to miss
Since its establishment, WoMEDA has launched a number of landmark reports.
The Federal and State Governments committed to developing a North West Melbourne City Deal in 2019 and asked local communities to develop a plan for what it might look like.
In an unprecedented collaboration, WoMEDA, along with NORTH Link, the 13 local Councils represented by LeadWest and the Northern Councils Alliance, La Trobe and Victoria Universities, joined forces to develop shared priorities for the North and West Melbourne region.
It focuses on the eight priority precincts in the region that have been designated by the Victorian Government as:
This plan lays the ground work for 66 transformative and enabling projects as the blueprint for the region, and is the key to significant investment and job creation.
The next step in progressing the deal is to seek formal Memorandum of Understanding arrangements at a Commonwealth, State and local government level.
Board Members (as at July 2022):
Executive Officer: Rachael Athanasiou, Manager, External Relations and Partnerships, Victoria University.
WoMEDA sits within Victoria University.
For further information, please email womeda@vu.edu.au.
