Civic Reception Glenelg Shire

I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands on which this building stands – the Gunditjmara people – and pay my respects to their Elders, past and present.

For as long as there have been Governors of Victoria, they have travelled across our State to speak with Victorians where they live.

It’s a pleasure to join you all here tonight to continue this longstanding tradition.

That this town was built here did not happen by chance.

As many of you would know, Portland Bay is the only naturally deep-water port in our State.

The surrounding region offers an abundance of natural resources, which supported countless generations of First Peoples who lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.

When the first European settlement was established here in 1834, the settlers recognised potential that was already familiar to the Gunditjmara.

It was a consequential moment – and one that preceded dispossession to the detriment of the Traditional Owners.

I would, however, like to reflect on the importance of another moment, which occurred in this place just two years later.

On 12 March 1836, the ship Thistle left Portland Bay carrying a cargo that is said to be one of Victoria’s first exports.

It may have only been three bales of merino wool, travelling only as far as Tasmania (or Van Diemen’s Land as it was then known), but it was an early indication of what would become a core pillar of our State.

Since that day, Victoria has built a reputation as an open and outward-looking State.

Our trade connections now stretch across not only the country, but the globe.

This region has, and continues to, play a crucial role in supporting that strength.

We stand at a gateway of regional Victoria to the world.

From right here, our State shares the output of our expertise, whether that be in agriculture, forestry, food and fibre, to name but a few.

I can assure you that Victoria’s achievements in these sectors are well-known on the global stage.

Yet having access to a natural harbour and fertile pastoral land does not alone account for the growth of this region over the decades.

It has taken generations of regional Victorians to build this community into what it is today.

What we see around us is the result of a spirit of enterprise, an ability to adapt to changing circumstances, and an open approach to engaging across borders.

Since those first bales of merino wool left the harbour almost 190 years ago, countless shipments have come and gone.

Markets and their trends will always change – and there will always be challenges – but building strong industries on our shores with a view to trade their products abroad will always remain key to Victoria’s success.

When you do that well, the benefits are more than economic – you provide the space for strong communities to develop, you create the infrastructure and service delivery to support them, and you establish vibrant cultural institutions to tell their stories and history.

That is what I see here in this Shire.

Experiencing these things firsthand enables me to discuss regional priorities with the range of people I meet with.

And when I represent Victoria overseas – as I did last month – or host visiting delegations or members of the Consular Corps at Government House – as I will do next week – these experiences allow me to speak to the opportunities to strengthen these trade and investment connections.

In that spirit, I’d like to thank the Council for generously hosting me on this visit, and I look forward to speaking to many of you tonight about your ideas and aspirations for the future.

Thank you.