GOLDFIELDS tourism partnership Villages of the Old Goldfields wants to expand and create new tourism opportunities in Victoria's smaller heritage gold towns.

The partnership currently includes Creswick, Clunes, Talbot and Avoca in the Pyrenees Shire.

But its new partnership with Loddon, Central Goldfields and Northern Grampians Shires will see towns Dunolly, Bealiba, Tarnagulla, Inglewood and St Arnaud join the group.

On behalf of the Villages network, Central Goldfields Shire has applied for $350,000 funding under the Federal Government's Australian Tourism Development Program, and a further $100,000 from Regional Development Victoria.

Funding will be used to develop a range of tourism services, infrastructure and opportunities based around smaller gold towns.

Hepburn Shire councillor Tim Hayes said the move showed local government supported tourism development and valued the smaller towns and villages.

"It also shows the importance placed on working with our neighbouring shires to create quality regional solutions," Cr Hayes said.

Talbot Tourism president Chris Meddows-Taylor said individually, the towns lacked size and infrastructure needed to provide a full range of services.

"Too many individual towns are all competing and we're struggling in those towns to get funding," Mr Meddows-Taylor said.

"It's better if we all work together to apply for regional funding, and together we can create a range of top quality tourism experiences."

He said the VOGA network could also help Bendigo and Ballarat attract tourists to the region.

"They are the major gold towns but we can help create an experience and a trail of interesting, smaller gold towns," he said.

"We want people to come to the region and stay longer and this makes a whole package."