This Infrastructure Design Manual (Manual) was originally prepared by the Cities of Greater Bendigo and Greater Shepparton and the Shire of Campaspe.

Their joint initiative was one which recognised the benefits of municipalities working together towards consistent requirements and standards for the design and development of Infrastructure.

They had their first meeting to discuss the development of the IDM in September 2004 and formed a committee to prepare a draft manual.

The work was carried out by Anne Howard, Manager of Design Services, Shire of Campaspe, on behalf of the three municipalities. The draft manual was completed in December 2006.

An extensive joint consultation process with stakeholders was followed by the three Councils. A copy of the consultation report can be downloaded from this website.

The first version of the Manual came into use in October 2007 when it was placed online.

Even before it was completed, other Councils having heard of the initiative contacted the three Councils and wanted to join the group. As a result of these enquiries it was decided to send a letter to adjoining municipalities inviting them to join the group using the IDM. By 2010 there were 14 Councils that had adopted the IDM.

Early in 2010 a group of Gippsland Councils received funding from the State Government to prepare a design manual for their Council. Very early in their project they heard about the IDM and made an approach to join the group. This was agreed to and they adopted the IDM in principle subject to an extensive consultation process to be completed with stakeholders.

As a result of this, the funding they received to develop an IDM was diverted to investigating the governance options for maintaining a statewide IDM and to promoting the adoption of the IDM across the state.

A regional rollout plan was put in place across the western half of the state with meetings held in Warrnambool for South West Councils, Birchip for North West Councils and Ballan for Western Councils.

As a result of this membership grew steadily. Upon the completion of the funding the IDM Group carried out consultation with four North East Councils that were not members in June 2012.

The issue of governance of the IDM was a thorny issue that was not resolved before the government funding for the Gippsland Councils ran out.

The IDM Group held a planning day on the 29 July 2011 to determine the future direction of the IDM and to consider governance issues. The membership of the IDM Group decided “in principle” to form an Association to own and maintain the IDM. This would provide independence and ensure that the Group was not reliant on one Council having to provide the financial and administrative services to maintain the IDM Group.

A vote of all members was held on the 18 October 2013 and it was resolved to form the Local Government Infrastructure Design Association. The Local Government Infrastructure Design Association was incorporated on the 7 May 2014.

The first Annual General Meeting of the Local Government Infrastructure Design Association was held on the 18 July 2014.

There are currently 44 Councils that are members of the association.