Wanting action. Representatives from local organisations, from left, Dario Prighel from Yarrawonga Mulwala Little Athletics, Yarrawonga College P-12 Principal Damien Keel, Committee of Management Yarrawonga Showgrounds Precinct Trevor McDonald, Yarrawonga College P-12 maintenance Shane McDonald, Committee of Management Yarrawonga Showgrounds Precinct Joe Cilia and Yarrawonga Mulwala Cricket Club President Glenn Brear have fought for years for a regular supply of water to such significant venues in Yarrawonga.
Key representatives of user groups at the Yarrawonga Showgrounds precinct are furious and frustrated at the lack of water for vitally important community areas.
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Stakeholder groups which represent the Yarrawonga Cemetery, Yarrawonga College P-12 and Victoria Park say their pleas for water has been dejected for several years.
“We’ve got no water,” Yarrawonga Mulwala Cricket Club President at Victoria Park Glenn Brear told the Yarrawonga Chronicle last week.
“There’s obviously a problem between Moira Shire and North East Water. Moira Shire has tried hard to solve our problem and have been helpful but between the two organisations, there’s something wrong and there hasn’t been a satisfactory resolution.”
The water catchment known as ‘Turkey Nest Dam’ to the immediate left upon entering Vic Park from Woods Road, and essentially created about 20 years ago for Vic Park, is nowhere full and is required to be used for an expanded Vic Park coverage of cricket ovals, the 2010 formed Yarrawonga College P-12 and the large Yarrawonga Cemetery.
These are all vitally important areas for Yarrawonga and Mulwala residents. Many volunteer workers maintain the popular or much visited venues.
User group members have been left dumfounded with the precinct such a short distance from Lake Mulwala. Pipes run along Woods Road past these significant venues but in the last weekend of October the Turkey Nest Dam ran dry.
The water catchment known as ‘Turkey Nest Dam’ which is required to water a substantially greater area and venues since its creation about 20 years ago.
Moira Shire has arranged for a truck to deliver water from the Glanmire Park dams to Turkey Nest Dam. The truck carries 15,000 litres at a time. But this is a laborious and time-consuming process.
“It’s a slap-dash approach by authorities. It’s only when they’ve got water left over at Glanmire Park we get any. We’ve got Vic Park’s two ovals, Yarrawonga Cemetery and College P-12 and we can’t get water to go into the dam,” Mr Brear said.
“We manicure the ovals at Vic Park the best we can for our cricket and the big tennis tournaments involving players throughout the whole of Victoria.
“The problem is particularly annoying in December and January when we don’t have a regular supply of water. All other parks get water from Lake Mulwala – for nothing – and good on them but why can’t we? The areas covered by the showgrounds precinct are vitally important venues for so many people.”
Trustee and secretary/treasurer of the Yarrawonga Cemetery Jan Parker wants to see the situation greatly improve whereby there is a regular supply of water for the garden and lawn areas.
“The only way I see it happening is a pipe up Woods Road from the lake and I understand it would cost $500,000,” she said.
Committee of Management Yarrawonga Showgrounds Precinct Trevor McDonald said that the Rotary club has spent considerable money on getting sprinklers and cannot get water.
“We’d have a chance of getting events to the showgrounds, such as the hot rods and equestrian events, if we had water,” he said.
“We have the infrastructure but no clear or raw water, just backwater and it’s not enough.”
Mr McDonald admired the sights in other towns including Cohuna, Nathalia and Howlong. “Yarrawonga’s J C Lowe Oval looks great – this area should be on a par,” he said.
Joe Cilia of the showgrounds committee of management questioned the effect of meetings between authorities. “We have so many meetings but nothing happens,” he said.
Trucking and piping some water from nearby Glanmire Park into Turkey Nest Dam.
Yarrawonga Mulwala Little Athletics President Dario Prighel is appreciative of the infrastructure at the College P-12 which includes a ride on mower courtesy of funding from Moira Shire Council and Alexandra Park.
“But it’s a bit depressing as a volunteer, you put a lot of time and effort into the club and there’s a lack of water provided to have a green oval for events,” he said.
Yarrawonga College P-12 Principal Damien Keel re-iterated that talks between authorities have “hit brick walls” and “roadblocks”.
“Our school has a thousand kids. You can’t have dead grass and gardens,” Mr Keel said.
North East Water and Moira Shire Council met on Monday night, November 6 to discuss the situation.
At the time of the Yarrawonga Chronicle going to print this week, a reply was received from North East Water as follows: “North East Water has met with Moira Shire Council to confirm the availability of water for the Victoria Park precinct for this summer,” North East Water General Manager Operations, Systems and Environment, John Day said.
“Longer term we’re working collaboratively with Moira Shire Council and Goulburn Murray Water to explore integrated water management solutions for the precinct, as recycled water from the water treatment plant is no longer an option due to operational efficiency improvements.
“This work aims to identify secure water supply solutions for the precinct’s current and future water needs. This work has been supported by the state government through a $55,000 Integrated Water Management grant.”
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