THE LIBERALS will soon reveal their Bendigo West election candidate for the November state election, according to leader Matthew Guy.
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"We are just going through some paperwork," he said during a visit to Bendigo on Wednesday to pledge $15.5 million for the city's major art gallery.
Candidate Darin Schade has already begun his tilt to take Bendigo East for the Liberals.
He and upper house MP Wendy Lovell were key advocates behind the Coalition's recent decision to pledge, according to Liberal speakers at Wednesday's event.
Both were on hand, along with the Nationals' upper house candidate, Gaelle Broad.
Coalition parties face entrenched Labor MPs in Bendigo's east and west electorates ahead of November's poll.
Labor's Jacinta Allan held Bendigo East at the last election with 62.11 per cent of the two-party preferred vote ahead of the Liberal candidate.
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The ALP also holds Bendigo West by a comfortable margin. There, Labor's Maree Edwards was last re-elected with 68.55 per cent of the two-party preferred vote.
Nevertheless, Mr Guy was upbeat about the Coalition's chances during his Bendigo visit on Wednesday.
"We are going to put our best foot forward," he said.
"We believe in Bendigo. This is a great city."
Mr Guy hinted at more funding promises at a later date.
Ms Allan dismissed the Liberals' gallery promise on Wednesday. She said the Coalition only ever took an interest in Bendigo at election time.
"The Andrews government is delivering right now in Bendigo - new law courts, the govhub, building and upgrading new schools and we have just opened three new train stations for Raywood, Goornong and Huntly," she said.
Mr Schade - the Liberal's Bendigo East candidate - said he wanted the gallery finished before the Commonwealth Games began in 2026.
"I think that would be of huge benefit to Bendigo," he said.
The council is still lobbying several levels of government for funding including at the national level.
Shadow arts minister David Davis has now written to the federal government in support of the renovation.
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