Community interest in the future development of Yarrie Lake as a water sports recreation area drew more than 60 people to an informal meeting on the lake foreshore on Saturday afternoon.
The gathering heard a wide range of issues aired and ultimately agreed to offer more community involvement to the Yarrie Lake Trust which administers the lake and its surrounds.
The aim, if the offer was adopted, would be to collectively create a new strategic plan for Yarrie Lake which would become a selling document to argue the case for government funding.
Speakers agreed two essential elements had to be secured for Yarrie Lake to be taken to a new era of development - water and money.
One of the attendees, independent candidate for the Barwon state election, Mr Rohan Boehm, proposed that interested people offer to work with the Trust with the aim of developing a strategic plan.
The motion was adopted and three people agreed to offer their input, Mr Ron Campey, convenor of the meeting, Laura Dean and Jeanelle Nehrkorn.
The three who have offered their support to the Yarrie Lake Trust will contact the Trust with the offer.
Mr Campey said he had decided to call a public meeting to launch a community discussion on the future of the lake and provide an opportunity to hear and discuss ideas.
“We want to see what we can do to improve facilities for the whole community.”
The Yarrie Lake Trust’s volunteer members have been administering the lake, and providing the labour and expertise for ongoing upgrades for many years.
Bernie Smith has been a Trust member for 36 years. Others have long periods of service.
“The improvements to the lake over the past 20 years have been phenomenal” said a former Trust president, Mr Dennis Lowder.
An amenities block from the 1980s had been joined by table and seating shelters, 20 camp sites, a ring main around the lake perimeter to provide water, taps, sealed internal roads, power, a caretaker’s cottage, a footbridge over the inlet into the lake and a second amenities block on the eastern side of the lake nearly completed.
However, the Trust is a small band of volunteers, with only a handful of active workers, the same few people who keep turning up for regular working bees and projects at the lake year after year.
“We are having a working bee tomorrow” the caretaker, Jerry Rolf told the meeting. “Anyone is welcome to turn up.”
Yarrie Lake is used by a large district water skiing fraternity, with dozens of boats and skiers and many picnickers and campers enjoying the lake on weekends when the water is high enough.
Christmas and Easter holidays see the lake area packed.
The value of attracting more ‘grey nomads’ and tourists to the lake was noted, as was the fact that the nomads were generally winter visitors, and didn’t interfere with skiers.
Mr Lowder said the lake was principally a local district recreational asset, mainly for water skiers. But tourism was a bonus.
After general discussion, Mr Boehm said a strategic plan should be worked out, taken to the shire council and community for feedback, and government and other agencies targeted for funding to meet the plan’s objectives.
Speakers said areas a strategic plan could focus on could include a major upgrade of power, which was a priority, road sealing into and internally at the lake, signage directing travellers to the lake, and a means of keeping the lake filled.
The lake is completely dry at present, but several speakers suggested any works should go ahead in anticipation of it filling again.
When the lake is full through rain run off, it will remain full for two or three years, speakers said.
The history of water bores to feed onto the lake was recalled and the high power costs associated with a bore to keep the lake topped up were discussed.
Desilting was talked about, with the warning that the impermeable lake bed could not be compromised by any excavations.
Cr Robyn Faber said a strategic plan was needed to take to funding authorities.
The plan would need to present a compelling case to prove that the area was deserving of investment, and encompass an overall vision for the area with demonstrable benefits to the community.