The project will be funded through a combination of The Golden Trail - Robe to Bendigo Committee and Communitiy led initiatives:

• government grants
• the generous support of sponsors
• The generous support of donations
• community-based fund-raising
• the hard work of local volunteers

This will never be a centrally controlled project. The project committee will perform a coordinating and support role, but the aim is for each community to 'own' and manage its section of the trail , as well as for trail users to contribute in some way . The project also provides opportunities for innovation, enterprise and creativity in each community along the route.

Marketing the experience

The trail web site will provide information about the trail, mostly provided by trail users, the towns along the way and and any relevant information that trail users wish to provide. Each community also has the opportunity to promote itself as part of the trail experience through its own channels. And, over time, word of mouth will be a major part of the growth in its popularity.

The Golden Trail is fortunate to have received grants from the following organizations to date: RegionalOne Credit Union Community Grant $2000 City of Greater Bendigo Community Grant Latrobe University Community Grant $1000 The money has been used to fund The Golden Trail Website and the design and printing of our brochures and postage. The Golden Trail Committee is also extremely thankful to Bendigo Web Central for their sponsorship of the design and maintenance of our website, with particular thanks to Mark Victor our web developer. How much will the project cost and how will it be funded? Identifiable costs at this stage are: Trail markers Setting up and maintaining a website Producing educational material for School Projects and Competition Community liason We hope that by tapping into expertise within each Community, their collective skills in applying for funding will assist in this regard. This is a challenge for the Golden Trail Committee at present. It is our belief that, in order for the project to succeed, it needs to be a bottom-up rather than a top-down approach.