Maryborough Olympic Pool Complex - $5 million
The ask - $5 million
Background
The Maryborough Municipal Olympic Pool, the Shire’s only 50-metre outdoor pool, was closed in 2022 after an independent technical assessment deemed it to be at its “end of life” stage due to severe structural cracking and water leakage. The assessment recommended it be demolished and rebuilt. The nearest alternative facility is a 45-minute drive away in Castlemaine, highlighting the critical need for this pool for Central Goldfields Shire’s residents
Detailed designs for stage two and stage three of the project are currently underway and will be completed by 30 June 2026. Using the funding already secured, it is anticipated that stage two will be delivered in 2026 and 2027.
The detailed designs will give us a clearer understanding of how much the project will cost in its entirety. Given the size and complexity of the project, we anticipate that there is a shortfall in funding to deliver stage three of the project which includes the 50-metre outdoor pool.
We are advocating to the State Government for additional funding to complete stage three.
Conclusion
The cost of not having a community pool is significant, ongoing, and measurable.
Each year, the community loses an estimated $2–2.5 million in health, transport, and economic opportunity, alongside diminished water safety, social connection, and inclusion.
Investment in a community pool is not a discretionary project, but a strategic response to an identified market failure — addressing inequity in access to essential health and recreation infrastructure for Central Goldfields Shire residents.
Given the revised total project cost of $14 million and the current funding of $9 million, we are facing a critical shortfall of $5 million in addition to the $1.35 million in borrowings for the Maryborough Municipal Olympic Pool Complex redevelopment.
The benefits
The Maryborough Municipal Olympic Pool Complex is far more than just a swimming facility; it is a highly valued community asset with profound historical and social significance.
✓ Heritage significance: The complex is heritage-listed on the Victorian Heritage Register for its architectural, aesthetic, and historical significance to the State of Victoria. It is celebrated as a rare and intact example of a 1930s swimming pool complex. Being heritage-listed means that while changes must typically align with original design and materials, modifications for contemporary standards, such as accessibility, are permitted after careful negotiation.
✓ Community wellbeing and safety: Regional pools are crucial for reducing drowning risks. Public pools are statistically the safest aquatic environments, benefiting from professional lifeguard supervision. This facility is vital for children to learn to swim outdoors and for fostering essential social connections within the community. The Maryborough community has endured too many summers without its outdoor pool, and its reopening is paramount for promoting local health and wellbeing.
✓ Accessibility: The redevelopment will ensure the complex meets contemporary standards, including the provision of disability access ramps into the pools and compliant change rooms, making it an inclusive facility for all community members. A new standalone building will incorporate family change, accessible change, and changing places facilities, some of which will be accessible year-round to further complement the broader historic Princes Park Precinct.
✓ Community support: The strong and organised advocacy of local groups, such as the Friends of the Maryborough Outdoor Pool Precinct, has been instrumental in progressing this project, powerfully demonstrating its profound importance to our residents.