Meet our committee members
The following people make up our economic advisory committee, IndiGrow.
Cr. Jane Dowsley
"As a councillor, my focus will be on delivering tangible outcomes that enhance the lives of our residents and position Indigo Shire for a prosperous and sustainable future. By supporting sustainable population growth, boosting tourism, and attracting investment, I aim to strengthen our local economy. Creating jobs, encouraging local businesses, and promoting Indigo Shire as a must-visit destination will remain key priorities."
Cr. Roberta Horne
Roberta relocated to Rutherglen 25 years ago and is currently an Indigo Shire Councillor. She has corporate and small business experience within the communications, media and wine industries.
“I see IndiGrow as an opportunity for us to embed a spirit of positivity and participation that values community input and enables us to address social, financial and environmental challenges together.”
Cr. Greg Bourke
"After over 30 years of senior executive roles in business, I'm now semi-retired working as a business consultant and now live in the beautiful Kiewa Valley after relocating from Melbourne."
Robert Hawkings
Robert resides in Beechworth after scouring the land for the "perfect" vineyard site.
With over 30 years in director roles and industry associations, Robert is looking forward to bringing his specialist skills in governance to the IndiGrow Committee.
"I want to see my adopted home of Indigo Shire progress, attracting more tourism and industry to the area."
Nerida Kerr
Nerida grew up on a farm at Sandy Creek and has retained family and community connections with the area. Nerida is now an active member of the Barnawartha community and has lived there since 2000.
Nerida is the Executive Officer of AgBiz Assist, a not-for-profit organisation that offers rural financial counselling and support for small business, a social enterprise providing connectivity and IT services and a rural charity. Nerida is also the Chairperson for the Victorian Chamber of Commerce Executive Council (Hume Region).
"I am passionate about improving the economic sustainability and liveability of Indigo. I would like to work towards ensuring that Indigo has a diverse economy, able to withstand adverse natural and economic events while enabling sustainable growth".
Neil Funston
Neil was born and bred in Melbourne. He and his wife, Robyn, have travelled the east coast of Australia as part of his work as a Food Process Engineer and Project Manager. They finally settled in North East Victoria for work opportunities in Shepparton and then in Rutherglen at Uncle Tobys. The entrepreneur in Neil saw him set up a boutique chocolate factory in Rutherglen. Neil is now an active community member and a director on the board of Beyond Housing.
"I put my hand up to be part of IndiGrow because I am very community-minded and I can contribute in a positive way. Community based committees like this can only have a positive impact on our community."
Mervyn Rea
Together with his wife, Tracey, Mervyn owns and operates Mortimer’s Lodge in Chiltern, an historic cottage providing unique self-catering accommodation. Originally from Northern Ireland, but a proud Australian for over 20 years, Mervyn’s full time job is national head of Zurich Insurance Resilience Solutions, offering commercial businesses risk management advice across a variety of established and emerging risks.
“We love spending as much time in Indigo Shire as possible and are keen to see the region prosper as a whole and support sustainable tourism.”
Alastair Clay
Alastair is a Wahgunyah resident and owner of Miltrans, a Corowa based interstate transport company. He has extensive experience in transport, logistics and corporate finance. He is a current member of the North East Regional Executive Forum.
“Ensuring Indigo has efficient transport infrastructure to support and drive economic prosperity is of interest to me.”
Steven Vandenbergh
Steven and wife, Maggie, own Jim Jam Foods, an independent manufacturer of high quality sauces, preserves and condiments marketed throughout Australia and beyond. Established in 2005, their Stanley based enterprise also offers a farm gate experience. Prior to that, Steven worked in graphic design, media and advertising.
“Creating a bridge between local government and enterprise seems to be a fairly critical pursuit. I would like to think that my years of experience could be harnessed to the advantage of the council and broader community."