Surf club project should be 'next cab off the rank' as cost soars to $15.2m

With the budget set to be handed down on May 14, 2024, Mr Tehan said among his top priorities was road and rail funding as well as community projects such as a new surf lifesaving club facility at Warrnambool's Lady Bay.

"The hope would be road funding but we've already seen that's not occurring," he said.

"The hope would be rail funding. Sadly that won't be happening.

"The hope would be that we would get regional projects funding.

"It's very hard to see what will be in this budget that will in anyway benefit us sadly."

With the region currently in the grips of a housing crisis, Mr Tehan said it would be great to see "some sort of proper" housing initiative.

Mr Tehan said he would like to see funding flow for community projects in south-west.

"You only have to look at the Matilda Room at the racecourse, the new golf club at Warrnambool to see what community funding can do," he said.

"The surf lifesaving club should be the next cab off the rank."

The club has been lobbying for a major redevelopment of its facilities with plans to demolish and rebuild a new club adjacent to the current site.

Club president John McNeil said an updated cost estimate of the project had seen the price jump from $12.3 million to $15.2 million since it was first unveiled.

He said the club was still trying to work with all political parties at all levels of government to attract government funding. "We continue to hope," he said.

"Our building is falling apart."

Mr McNeil said for 10 years in a row the club had hosted a major event. "We're a destination for surf lifesaving," he said.

Mr Tehan had promised to tip in $6 million in the lead up to the last federal election in 2022 but his government was swept from power.