Berrigan Shire Council has partnered with the Finley Lake Land Managers Committee to apply for at least $6 million to kick start what is expected to be a $15 million development project once completed.
And it could not come at a better time, with a long time local this week raising concerns about a “muddy” appearance at the lake.
Council CEO Karina Ewer said while it is the committee that acts as Crown Land managers at the lake, council partnered with them earlier this year to develop a master plan for the lake.
She said some of the projects outlined in that plan are already being pursued, with one of the first projects expected to improve the overall appearance of the popular local attractions.
“Council has applied, in conjunction with the Finley Lake Crown Land Managers, for a $2 million grant under the Crown Reserves Improvement fund to do rehabilitation of the lake which includes dredging, shoring and revegetation works.
“We are also in the process of writing a $4 million grant application under the Regional Precincts Partnership Program to develop a regional precinct along the Newell Highway at the lake which will include a commercial building (to host a café or similar), jetty for launching human powered boats, 60 space car park (including long vehicles), new public amenities, regional scale playground - which is intended to include a flash back to the unfinished Spanish Galleon - and extensive landscaping works.
“All this has been identified in the master plan.
“The plan includes more than $15 million in works, intended to be undertaken over 30 years to deliver all the ideas requested and gathered from the Finley community.
“The lake committee is working with council in a very collaborative manner.”
Nicholas Wolff said he has noticed a change in the lake’s condition over the last few months, on his regular visits home to Finley.
“The first aspect to note is that the water appears to be much more turbid and muddy than in previous years,” he said.
“The second and equally concerning observation is that the number of bird species and the total population of birds on the lake and island, is much less than in recent years.
“In previous years the lake was a well populated bird sanctuary.
“I have been visiting the lake over the past weeks.
“On each visit I have seen not more than a dozen birds on the water each day, or on the shore, they are only two or three species.
“I don’t know why this change has occurred; whether it’s natural or from other causes.
“What I do know is that the lake is not like what it once was.
“Some people think perhaps carp have found their way into the lake and have stirred up the mud. But maybe it’s something else.”
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