Pools in seven country Victorian towns granted eleventh-hour reprieve
Swimming pools in seven country towns have escaped closure at the eleventh-hour.
A report presented to Campaspe Council recommended permanently shutting down seven of the eight pools in the council, which is in Victoria’s north.
Under the recommendations, pools in Colbinabbin, Lockington, Rushworth, Stanhope and Tongala would have closed by the end of March, while pools at Kyabram and Rochester would have closed in early 2025.
It would have left just one pool in the region – in Echuca.
But after a community Save Campaspe Pools campaign, the council last night voted to defer the closure plans until township facility plans can be developed.
Broadcaster Brad McEwan, who grew up in Lockington, says it’s now up to the communities to fight for their pools.
“The council has said ‘No we’re not going to close the pools right now, what we are going to do is engage with the communities about what they want, what they have, and we’ll set a direction from there’, and they’ve got until May 2023 for the township facility plans to be completed,” he told Ross and Russel.
“You’ve got to work to keep your pool open,” he said.
“It’s up to everyone in those communities now to say ‘Right, this is what we want’.”
Press PLAY below to hear Mr McEwan’s message to the communities involved