Echuca groups frequent the area for day outings, as well as individuals from all over Victoria.
The Lions asked Campaspe Shire to apply for flood restoration grant money back in 2011 with no success.
Again the Lions wanted to apply for the “pick my project” grant to restore and stabilise the foreshore but Campaspe would not allow it.
Reid’s plumbing offered to put in a system to pump the effluent from the toilets the required 60m from the foreshore, the same as has been done at Kangaroo and Reedy lakes, but Campaspe would not entertain it.
Campaspe has removed the toilet bowls so campers and visitors to the areas have no toilet to use.
The City of Greater Bendigo have toilets on private land servicing the public, but Campaspe have stated no toilets will be allowed on the adjacent private land. Why not?
Campaspe have shown no empathy for the small communities after drought, floods, and the Murray Darling Basin plan has devastated them.
The Lions picnic ground was and should be a high-value recreational area for picnicking and a safe swimming area for children, teenagers and adults.
It is a great asset for the health and wellbeing of the small communities and a drawcard for photographers and bird watchers, as well as an area for good fishing.
It is unfortunate that Campaspe still want to impose the cost on the irrigators of the GMID, when as a mid-Murray storage, the beneficiaries are the down stream users and so government should be asked for the dollars.
When involved in the Kow Swamp and and on water implementation group, I moved and it was passed that “Campaspe, DELWP, Yorta Yorta and GMW get together and apply for government funds to protect the cultural sites which would have included the picnic ground,” but thanks to the chair’s negativity it has never been acted upon.
There is an opportunity now with Campaspe out of the picture for some positive thinking to take place.
There is an opportunity to look at the area as a whole, with the co-operation of the local landowners – YNAC, Lions, DELWP, Vicfish, Mawson’s, EPA, RDV, community, it could be possible to create an even better recreational and social area than it has been. Let’s do it.
Neville Goulding
13°C