Elected representatives from three tiers of government yesterday welcomed news that Dubbo City Council’s application to the Regional Development Australia Fund’s second round had been successful.

Minister for Regional Australia Simon Crean yesterday announced the government would provide $3.5 million for the $5.3 million Barden Park regional centre for excellence in athletics.

It was one of 15 projects across NSW to receive a share of $66.6 million.

Elected representatives and athletics clubs yesterday celebrated the win, in stark contrast to their disappointment last year.

Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson said it was great news for the city and region, and that they had worked hard to turn a ‘no’ in round one to success in round two.

Dubbo - with the assistance of Cr Allan Smith - had been the only council to secure a seat in a department debrief on round one and then set about making a stronger application, Cr Dickerson said.

The council engaged Western Research Institute to conduct an independent analysis to support its application.

The study cost $24,500 but Cr Dickerson yesterday agreed it was money well-spent.

The analysis had found the centre for excellence would boost participation in sport across the region, create almost 40 full-time jobs and contribute $4.5 million in gross regional product, he said.

“The report from Western Research Institute Ltd also highlighted the potential for the proposed centre to contribute to the development of elite athletes and improve participation in sport across the region and the health and wellbeing of the indigenous community,’’ he said.

Cr Dickerson said a key difference in the second application had been the support of the NSW government.

He thanked it - and Dubbo MP Troy Grant who worked with the council - for committing a further $1.175 million to the project.

Mr Crean commended applicants like Dubbo, which had taken the feedback from round one “on board, learnt the process and reworked projects”, saying it had paid off.

“This is a great mix of projects that not only deliver the social dividend in terms of community infrastructure, but continue to strengthen the economic engine of regional NSW,” he said.

Mr Crean spruiked the federal government’s “record $4.3 billion investments” in regional areas.

It had also strengthened the role of the 55 Regional Development Australia (RDA) committees, which had worked with local communities to identify and prioritise projects that were consistent with their regional plans, he said.

RDA - Orana chairman John Walkom said round one had shown cost analysis and sustainability detail were important.

Support from the Hunter, the northern inland and the far west had given Dubbo’s bid a “cross-regional emphasis”.

“I was quietly confident but there were quality applications from across Australia,” Mr Walkom said.

“This is an economic boost to the construction industry, it’s like a little stimulus package.”