Get informed on floods New pavilion delay

Ballan residents have been invited to a free session being held by the SES, regarding flood risk and how to prepare and respond to flood incidents.

A drop-in community flood information session will be held from 3pm to 7pm on Friday 7 July at the Ballan Mechanics Hall, with a focus on raising awareness and understanding of flooding and floodwater risks, and the relevance of taking action before, during, and after emergency events.

“These community flood awareness sessions are designed to support residents in understanding their flood risk better and preparing for potential floods. We’re all collaboration, so we’re always eager to listen to locals’ experiences and learn from them, using those insights to enhance our future response in the area,” Mid-West Operations Manager Unit Support, Chris Arnold, said.

“We hope that this work will take the pressure off emergency services during flood events to reduce the need to respond to incidents that could have been prevented.”

Mr Arnold said Ballan was particularly at risk of flash flooding, and talking to neighbours if you are new to the area is useful in learning about flood risk and where the “high ground” or safer places are nearby.

“Areas within the Ballan area are prone to less predictable flash flooding, which can happen quickly and with little warning,” Mr Arnold said.

“Flash floods can be very deep, rise quickly and move fast, so you need to keep away from trees, drains, culverts and stay off the road during flash flooding to keep you and your family safe.”

If you are unable to attend the drop-in session or just want more information on how to prepare for floods, visit www.ses. vic.gov.au/get-ready.

Remember, never drive through floodwater – just 15 centimetres of flowing floodwater can float a small car, and attempting to drive through floodwater is the number one cause of death in a flood.

The Darley Park Community and Sports Centre has been delayed once again, with water pressure issues to blame this time around.

Last August, Moorabool Shire Council CEO Derek Madden told the Moorabool News that “a number of compliance concerns” at the site had pushed the pavilion’s planned completion date from November 2022 to February/March this year.

In May, Darley Senior President Mark Shelly and Junior President Rohan Matthews released a joint statement thanking the community for its patience, and stating that they hoped “our new facilities will be ready for the first home game scheduled for Saturday 3 June 2023”.

Members of the tenant clubs, and the wider community, have been eagerly awaiting the pavilion’s completion, which until recently was believed to be imminent in the coming weeks – but last Friday, Council announced there’s another spanner in the works.

“Council is working hard with other agencies to resolve unforeseen water pressure issues affecting the Darley Park Community and Sports Centre so we can open the doors to user groups and the community as soon as possible,” Council’s post on social media reads.

“We want everyone using this magnificent new building to be safe and secure, so having a reliable and adequate water supply to the site for fire services to access is crucial. Please be assured Council has advised our service partners and is working with them to find a solution as a priority.”

Council said it shares the frustration and disappointment of user groups and the community, and while it’s looking at “every possible solution to resolve them [the water issues] in the shortest possible time frame, this may take several months”.

“In the meantime, we are committed to making temporary facilities available and offering support to user groups to ensure the grounds can still be used and enjoyed. We’re working closely with the presidents of the user groups onsite to ensure they have what they need to operate at the venue and to support their planned future events,” Council’s statement reads. “We appreciate everyone’s patience as we work through these issues and work to resolve them. We cannot wait to see everyone using and enjoying the building as soon as it is approved to do so.”