Kerryn Ellis delighted to extend her commitment to South Gippsland Shire

RECENTLY reappointed South Gippsland Shire Council CEO Kerryn Ellis is proud of what has been accomplished during her time in the role and has many ambitions for the shire’s future, having been contracted for another five years.

Councillors endorsed Kerryn’s reappointment during their March council meeting, albeit the ongoing CEO was unable to be present.

“This is terrific news for the organisation and for South Gippsland,” mayor Clare Williams said following the meeting.

“We are fortunate to have a CEO of Kerryn’s calibre and we have achieved so much under her strong, considered leadership.”

The mayor added that the CEO’s reappointment provides council and South Gippsland Shire with a solid foundation for the years ahead.

Sentinel-Times chatted to the ongoing CEO about her achievements thus far, and what improvements for the shire she is looking forward to being part of in the future.

While she considers there have been many highlights, Kerryn spoke of three that stand out.

The first of those occurred just after she started the job in March 2020, with the development of council’s Community Support Package during COVID.

“We had our Budget almost fully drafted and we actually went back and found $2 million out of a small council budget to support the community through the pandemic period, which is a project that’s now been independently evaluated, and we’ve had fantastic feedback about it,” Kerryn said.

“I was proud of how agile we were as an organisation to get that happening and supporting people as quickly as we did.”

The refurbishment of the Leongatha council offices is another of the highlights, with that project nearing completion, Kerryn explaining why action was needed.

“They had not been touched for well over 20 years when I started and they were antiquated, with no environmental sustainability features; the air conditioning didn’t meet occupational health and safety requirements, and the building didn’t meet disability access requirements,” she said.

Kerryn stressed that while there had been extensive conversation over a number of years about building new council offices in Leongatha, that would have cost at least $10 million and potentially much more.

The refurbishment cost is in the vicinity of $4 million.

“At a significantly reduced cost, we were able to provide a contemporary modern workplace for staff and community visitors,” Kerryn said, adding that the facility will look fantastic once cladding is complete.

Having commenced her role during the period when administrators had replaced elected councillors, the CEO spoke of the importance of restoring community trust in elected local representatives.

Kerryn has enjoyed watching the current councillor group work closely with the community, observing that the organisation and its councillors are now sector leading, 

“We have a low staff turnover rate and have won numerous awards and 
accolades and I’m frequently asked to share our success story with other councils,” she said.

While delighted with the shire’s progress, the CEO sees great potential for South Gippsland over the next few years.

Kerryn expects to see opportunities arise through the establishment of offshore wind energy generation in the area, along with exciting innovations in farming and agribusiness.

She looks forward to continued improvements in local tourism and the resultant economic boost.

The potential creation of a unique cultural tourism offering on Yanakie land near Wilsons Promontory, recently purchased by the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, is a likely visitor drawcard Kerryn is excited about. 

She also looks forward to seeing the benefits for South Gippsland Shire of Parks Victoria improvements being made to facilities at Wilsons Promontory, including new accommodation and new cultural heritage experiences, that will further boost the visitor experience.

Kerryn noted the Great Southern Rail Trail extension from Welshpool to Hedley will soon be complete and that improvements will be made along the trail such as the installation of interpretive signage and seating. 

She envisages ongoing improvements in the local arts and hospitality scenes.

“It’s an exciting time for South Gippsland and I’m really honoured to have the opportunity to continue to work with councillors and the community,” the CEO said.

She noted that more frequent and severe weather events present a challenge for council, requiring it to work closely with community and find innovative approaches to improve resilience.

With council elections taking place later this year, Kerryn is ready to welcome the chosen councillor group and help set them up for a successful term.

She also intends to build on relationships established during her time with South Gippsland Shire Council.

“I’ve worked hard to deepen our working relationships and partnerships right across the region, with State Government, business, and other councils, and I am excited now to take advantage of those partnerships to deliver great outcomes for South Gippsland,” Kerryn declared.