Corangamite council’s decline of “tokenistic” land offer leaves Timboon playground’s future hanging in the balance

The future of Timboon’s well-loved Masonic playground is now uncertain after Corangamite Shire Council decided not to accept a portion of land offered by the Victorian Freemasons, calling the offer “tokenistic”.

❓What happened: The playground, at Timboon Masonic Park on the corner of Barrett and Bond Streets, has been maintained by the council for more than 40 years. 

It sits on land leased from the Freemasons, with the lease expiring in September 2026. 

Earlier this year, the organisation indicated it intended to sell the site, prompting a petition signed by 460 residents calling for the playground to be preserved.

• The petition read: “This playground has provided generations of children with a safe place to play, grow and connect. 

• “The council has maintained it throughout this time, and we believe it should remain as a community space for future generations. 

• “We urge the council to purchase this land and protect our playground from being lost.”

🗣️ Mayor weighs in: Mayor Kate Makin acknowledged the community’s concerns at Tuesday’s council meeting, highlighting the playground’s significance for generations of local children. 

She said the Freemasons’ offer of a smaller parcel of land was “really too small to operate a functional play space”.

“To be honest, I feel it’s a little tokenistic,” Makin said. 

“I acknowledge that the Freemasons are absolutely under no obligation to give or to subdivide any land to us at all, and they’re fully entitled to sell the property as it is, because it’s a private sale.”

She added the potential loss of the playground would leave a “big gap for Timboon,” noting the space has long been central to the town’s community life. 

“I’m a little bit disappointed about what I have to do today, but we need to stand up better for ourselves,” Makin said.

The Freemasons want to sell about 4,600 square metres of land.

🤷‍♀️ Why turn it down? Council officers had assessed the area of land offered but found it too small to accommodate the existing playground. 

• Safety concerns, lack of parking, and the costs of relocating play equipment also made the option unviable. 

• The council’s playground management policy prioritises a single major playground per township, and Timboon already has one in the town centre, further complicating the proposal.

🧺 Too hard basket: Councillors expressed disappointment that the site could not be retained but emphasised the council’s limited capacity to fund and maintain additional playgrounds. 

Councillor Jamie Vogels said the decision reflected the wider challenge of sustaining community facilities as volunteer groups such as the Freemasons, Apex and Lions reduce local involvement.

The council advised the petitioners that it will continue “frank” discussions with Freemasons Victoria and encouraged the organisation to consider contributing financially to the town’s main playground. 

While the council will not object to the sale of the Masonic Hall and land, the playground remains at risk if no alternative arrangements are reached.