Zara’s latest stories 🗞️

🏊🏻‍♂️ “Devastating”: Moyne Council votes to decommission Port Fairy pool after $5m repair bill

Port Fairy residents will have to travel to Warrnambool to get their public pool fix, after results from a months-long report forced the demolition of the Belfast Aquatics Facility.

What happened? Moyne Shire councillors unanimously accepted recommendations on Tuesday that the Belfast Aquatics facility was not suitable for repair. 

• The decision followed engineering reports that found significant structural issues and raised concerns about the long-term viability of remediation works.

What did the report find? More than 70 percent of the building’s roofing, timber frame and structural frame required replacement or rectification, while the pool liner, filtration system and plant infrastructure had reached end-of-life. 

• Investigators also identified severe corrosion, mould issues, electrical systems nearing failure and concerns the pool foundations may have been compromised by ongoing water leakage.

• The audit estimated short and medium-term repair works would cost between $3.19 million and $5.92 million, but the report warned that figure did not represent the full cost of reopening the facility or returning it to a long-term, fit-for-purpose standard.

Community reacts: Port Fairy Community Pool Group spokesperson Louise Abicare said the decision was “devastating, but not surprising”.

• “The technical reports were so damning in the state of the building and the pool that to spend what they quoted would have been not viable,” she told the Brolga.

• Abicare said the community’s thoughts have turned to working with the council to build a new pool facility, which will be “some years away, but we need to start somewhere”.

The background: The community-built pool, which opened in 2007, closed last year after Belfast Aquatics announced it could not resolve ongoing mould and algae problems at the facility. The site came under Moyne Shire Council control in January.

Hands are tied: Mayor Jordan Lockett said the intent when the pool was constructed was for it to “last much longer”.

• “We share the community’s disappointment that the facility came into our care and control in such poor condition,” Lockett said in a statement.

• Council said it had a responsibility to consider engineering advice, safety concerns and long-term financial risks before making a decision.

• “Based on the report’s findings, we could not responsibly pursue repair of the facility,” Lockett said.

Now what? Council said the future of aquatic services in Port Fairy would now be considered through its Aquatic Facilities Strategy and further community consultation, with any future state or federal funding applications requiring a clear long-term plan. 

Lockett said the council would continue to “actively explore all viable options” for a future facility. 

Abicare said community engagement would be critical in rebuilding trust and shaping what comes next. 

“We want them to adopt that strategy and stick to it,” she said. “I want to be part of the future, and I want them to accept our help.” 

“We’re never going to get an open dialogue if we are combative.”

Darcie’s latest stories 🗞️

👥 Regional youth workers to converge on Warrnambool and break down the challenges facing young people

Youth workers across the south-west coast share clients, problems and funding but most have never met each other. That’s a problem an upcoming youth conference, held in Warrnambool next month, aims to fix. 

❓What happened: Youth Affairs Council Victoria (YACVic) is hosting the conference on June 9 and 10 at the Deakin Hydrogen Hub in Warrnambool. The Beyond Borders: Breaking Down the Silos event is inspired by the desire to break down walls between youth sector workers to make the most of shared funding and opportunities. 

🗣️:“We all work for and are young people. We are their advocates and champions, and need to be working together.” Zoe Damman, YACVic Rural Development Coordinator, told the Brolga. 

📑What’s on: The event will feature keynote speaker Katie Acheson, former CEO of Youth Action and lead youth lived experience consultant for the United Nations World Youth Report. 

There will be several panels featuring youth workers and young people working in community programs, alongside table discussions. A few of the issues set to be unpacked include youth participation, climate change, technology advances, mental health and consent. 

Acheson will also be delivering an interactive workshop.

👥What people said: Damman said the event was an opportunity to hear about relevant issues from the group it directly impacts. 

🗣️: “Our young people are not just one thing, none of us are”, said Damman. “This is a holistic approach to who we are as a community and we might be addressing multiple needs and multiple barriers with just one program.”

Damman said the multidisciplinary approach of the conference helped deal with the complexity of issues facing young people, from social cohesion to public services. 

• “There are cross-benefits. We know that by being involved in a choir, you’re addressing social isolation as well as creativity and joy. Or transport. It provides improved access to study and employment, but also better access to community buildings, book clubs or volunteering opportunities.”

• “It’s not just one thing, it’s complex and intersectional in all kinds of ways.” 

⌚What next: Tickets are available here, and cover the entire two days plus catering. 

Young people working, volunteering and in advisory and leadership roles are welcome to attend and can register for free if they're under 25. 

✉️ Glenelg Shire Council commits to permanent truth-telling about colonial violence at Victoria’s oldest European settlement

The council that governs Victoria’s oldest permanent European settlement site has formally committed to telling the other side of the story of its origins. 

❓ What happened: At the May Glenelg Shire council meeting, councillors agreed to a series of commitments that would recognise the history of colonisation in the region and the lasting impacts on the region’s First Nations peoples, while integrating measures into council that ensure inclusion and truth-telling. 

The Strengthening Aboriginal Inclusion in the Glenelg Shire 2026-2030 plan was described by Director of Community Services Brett Jackson as building on "over two decades of collaborative effort" with the Traditional Owners within the region - the Gunditjmara, Jardwadjali and Boandik peoples. 

It was moved by Councillor Michael Carr and seconded by Councillor Robyn McDonald before being carried unanimously and signed by the Mayor within the chamber. 

Why it matters: Portland is the site of the first permanent European settlement in Victoria, and with this title it bears a painful history for First Nations people. 

👥 What people said: Each councillor read a section of the commitments. This covered truth-telling, representation and voice, cultural awareness in council practices, and support and partnership with community initiatives. 

🗣️: “Portland holds a substantial moment in the history as the site of Victoria's first permanent European settlement,” Mayor Karen Stephens read. “The region was the site of profound frontier conflicts and dispossession.” 

• “We acknowledge the true history of the region within the Glenelg shire and we commit to truth telling as a vital step towards awareness, education, recognition, and healing,” Councillor Carr read. 

Key takeaways: Areas highlighted within the statement include: 

• Dual storytelling at sites and monuments with shared history, leaving space for First Nations people to contest the naming and use of certain locations on a case-by-case basis. 

• Increased partnerships and procurement measures to allow for more partnership and employment opportunities. 

• Cultural competency and anti-racism training for councillors and staff.

• Embedded Aboriginal flag protocols.

• Supporting a Gunditjmara community-led event on January 26. 

The statement also formally recognised November 19 as the date of local colonisation and has proposed to use the date as an opportunity for education and dual storytelling about shared history. 

The Dhauwurd Wurrung Elderly and Community Health Service (DWECH) and the Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation were listed as partner organisations. 

🗣️ :“We recognise that the impacts of colonisation are ongoing and reflected in inequalities experienced across representation, health, education, housing, employment and social outcomes,” Mayor Stephens read. “Addressing these inequalities is a shared civic responsibility and council recognises we have a role to play within this.”

On Your Feed 📱

In case you missed it, food security organisation Fruit Rescue is bringing back its South West Olive Harvest for a second year this weekend.

I put together a video explaining how the volunteer-led event picks unwanted olives from backyards across Warrnambool, Koroit and Port Fairy and turns them into freshly pressed olive oil.