Mighty boost for Yarriambiack sporting facilities in Brim, Rupanyup and Beulah

19 August 2020

Sporting reserves in Yarriambiack Shire towns of Rupanyup, Brim and Beulah are set for a $2.9-million overhaul.

The State Government is providing $2.67-million for the major program, with funding through its community sports infrastructure stimulus program. Yarriambiack Shire Council and communities are providing the balance.

Shovel-ready works programs at Beulah, Brim and Rupanyup recreation reserves will involve various projects ranging from change-room development to fencing, light-tower, netball and tennis court upgrades.

A project at Brim Recreation Reserve will include fencing and lighting towers as part of a full reconstruction of netball and tennis courts.

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There will be new court surfacing for three tennis courts and two overlay netball courts and two player and scorer shelters as well as the fencing and lighting.

A Rupanyup reserve project involves partial demolition of a court area and work on fencing, lighting towers and shelters and a female-
friendly change room.

Redevelopment is based on a plan for multi-purpose netball-tennis courts with surfacing for two courts and line-marked for both netball and tennis.

At Beulah, work a will involve construction and installation of female-friendly modular change rooms.

The work will enhance a base for Southern Mallee Giants Football Netball Club to develop programs, train, host games and events.

Yarriambiack mayor Graeme Massey said the project funding was ‘very’ exciting for the respective communities.

“An active community is one of the important planks of our community plan – an important part of social life in all these smaller towns is sport and sporting facilities,” he said.

“The impact this year with the coronavirus has been felt everywhere and there’s been a lot of disappointment because people can’t play. 

“These facilities will be a tremendous boost when they are finished.”

Served their purpose

Cr Massey applauded the efforts of council sport and recreation officer Rebecca Botheras.

He said this was the first grant she had applied for since starting in her role this year.

Brim Sports Centre president Chris McPherson said Brim court development was ‘much-needed’.

He commended and thanked Brim centre and reserve committee representatives for their efforts.

“These courts I think have been here from back in the 1980s and have well and truly served their purpose and been in need of a revamp for years,” he said.

“This is terrific going forward. 

“We started this work back in October 2018. 

“There has been a massive number of hours put in by our secretary Graeme Holland, Hugh Keam, Matthew Crisp and myself, looking at different courts around the area and putting a lot of hours into this whole project. 

“It’s great to see all that hard work by the committee has paid off.”

Member for Northern Victoria Mark Gepp said the overall project involving the three towns was one of 27 projects to benefit from a share in more than $68-million from the State Government’s $2.7-billion Building Works package designed to create jobs and start projects across the state.

“This investment will support the local economy and create jobs – and support the growing number of people across Yarriambiack Shire keen to get involved in sport and recreation,” he said.

“Sport and active recreation are the heart and soul of our rural and regional communities.