Mayoral Column 21 October 2014
Published on 21 October 2014
Bridgewater Public Caravan Park and foreshore to open
Flood restoration works at the Bridgewater Public Caravan Park and foreshore reserve have come to an end, with the official opening next Sunday. (Oct 26)
Minister Peter Walsh will officially open the caravan park and foreshore reserve at 1pm.
The community is invited to attend the celebrations and view the restored caravan park and the beautiful foreshore reserve.
The two separate projects received generous funding, with the foreshore project funded through the Local Government Infrastructure Project ($100,000) and the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal’s Percy Baxter Trust ($124,000), while the caravan park received Flood Recovery Funding from the Department of Primary Industries ($3.3 million).
Residents will benefit from the redevelopment, which includes a family friendly environment and easy access to water activities including swimming, fishing and canoeing.
The project will complement a proposed Bridgewater housing estate, scheduled for development in 2015.
Boost for water sport enthusiasts
Loddon Shire Council will soon boast safe and accessible canoe trails for water sport enthusiasts.
Loddon Shire Council, in conjunction with the Loddon Nature Tourism Committee, applied to the State Government Minor Facilities Scheme for financial assistance to incorporate canoe trails along the Loddon River and Serpentine Creek.
On Friday, Minister for Sport and Recreation Damian Drum announced the state government would contribute $42,418 to the project.
The funding will support Council’s contribution of $12,209 and $9,000 in-kind labour to complete the project.
Canoeing has become popular on the river, however, Council does not currently have infrastructure in place to support the water sport.
The funding will ensure the activity is accessible, safe and well promoted with launching bays, signage and marker buoys, along with promotional resources to improve safety, awareness and encourage increased participation from families, recreational canoeists, fishermen, schools and the wider community.
The project will complement the opening of the Bridgewater Public Caravan Park, with canoeing expected to become more popular on the river.
Council has worked with the community to identify four areas along the river, at Bridgewater, Laanecoorie, Durham Ox and Serpentine to formalise and promote.
Successful funding for local club’s courts
The Bridgewater netball and tennis courts will soon be resurfaced after a pro-active cyclic maintenance initiative was successful in funding.
Loddon Shire Council worked with the Bridgewater netball and tennis clubs to apply for state government funding under the Local Communities for Local Facilities scheme.
Loddon Shire Council Chief Executive Officer John McLinden and I met with the Minister for Sport and Recreation Damian Drum last Friday at the courts.
Minister Drum announced the state government has come to the party, granting the courts $7,700.
The Bridgewater Netball Club and the Bridgewater Tennis Club also contributed $2,600 each.
In-kind labour of $2,500 has been donated, which brings the total funding pool to $15,400 for the project.
Works to the two courts will begin next month.
The deadline is fast approaching for entries for next year’s Loddon Shire Australia Day Awards.
Nominations and entries can be lodged until Friday 31 October, with forms available from the Wedderburn Shire offices, online here or by contacting Shannon Brown on 0429 380 465.
There is a literature competition for school-aged children, colouring-in for kindergarten to Grade 2 and a photographic contest for age groups from preps to open.
Nominations are also sought for Citizen and Young Citizen Award categories, Community Group or Event and a Community Service prize for each of the Shire’s five wards.
There’s still time to submit your creative work or nominate someone you consider worthy of recognition.
Government service rolls into Serpentine
The Australian Government Mobile Service Centre will roll into Serpentine this month to provide a personalised face-to-face service.
Staff from the Department of Human Services travel with the mobile centres to provide the community access to Centrelink, Medicare, Child Support and Australian Hearing payments and services.
The Australian Government Mobile Service Centre is an initiative to provide rural and regional communities access to the government departments.
The Australian Government Mobile Office will be in Serpentine on Thursday, October 23.