A team of architects, gallery experts and engineers need the money to finish off consultations and designs for the $28 million revamp of Bendigo's showpiece tourist attraction.

That work could cascade into state government funding needed if the gallery is to be finished in mid-2025, in time for the launch of the Commonwealth Games the following March.

"If the project is not funded in the next budget cycle it is unlikely the project will be funded until after the Commonwealth Games due to the 24 month construction period," council officers have previously warned.

More news: 'We can and will target you' - VIPER Taskforce lays charges in Bendigo, Echuca and beyond

The council's $600,000 would boost an identical amount the gallery's board had proffered, Cr Rod Fyffe said.

"What we are looking at is to keep the momentum going," he said.

The state government has already earmarked $560,000 to help develop plans but the council needed to demonstrate how serious it was, Cr Fyffe said.

"It also shows we understand the impact this building and this organisation has on this community as well," he said.

More than 219,000 people visited the Elvis: Direct from Graceland exhibition and has been a key economic driver for a tourism and hospitality sector still recovering from the pandemic.

About 86 per cent of them were not from the area.

The gallery would likely be a "cultural hub" during the 2026 Games.

It is heightening the urgency to lock in funding.

The new money comes virtually on the eve of British city Birmingham launching its own Commonwealth Games, which will likely intensify attention on works that 2026 hosts like Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong and the East Gippsland area need.

Birmingham's Games - which start later this week - are already focusing the minds of councillors half a world away in Bendigo, including former mayor Margaret O'Rourke.

She said Bendigo was already in a race with other areas of regional Victoria to lock in sports and other sports for 2026.

"We have to put ourselves in the best position," she said.

More news: Council blocks pet therapy bid despite EPA distancing itself from report

"There's no better place than our art gallery to be the cultural hub for the 2026 Games, out of the four regional host cities."

Ms O'Rourke said as many as 300,000 people might attend Bendigo's 2026 events, nearly a third more than the number of people who visited the Bendigo Art Gallery for its recent three-month Elvis: Direct from Graceland run.

She based that very rough estimate on the numbers of visitors who arrived for the Gold Coast's 2018 Commonwealth Games, divided by four as 2026 events will be based in four different regions.

Cr O'Rourke said her thoughts were already turning to ways Bendigo could use the Games to bring in long term infrastructure - and not just the athlete's village the state government would build and later turn into affordable housing.

She hoped other improvements would include changes to transport and digital connectivity.

If you're reading this it's because you're a loyal subscriber to the Bendigo Advertiser. If you want to get more out of your subscription join the discussion on the Bendigo Advertiser's subscriber group on Facebook today.