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Minister asked for action on Buchan Pool
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Minister asked for action on Buchan Pool

Local MP, Tim Bull, has written to the Minister and also Parks Victoria urging them to find a solution to keep the Buchan swimming pool open this summer.
This follows a recent decision by Parks Victoria to close the pool at the Buchan Caves Reserve, which has been met with dismay by local residents and regular visitors who appreciate the unique experience it offers.
Mr Bull reminded the Minister the area was in drought, which also impacts on local businesses that are looking to the upcoming holiday period to provide them with respite and some income.
‘The swimming pool is one of the local tourist attractions and therefore important in relation to visitation to the town,’ the correspondence stated.
The community has been advised it will be closed for summer due to lack of flow from the spring and therefore it will not meet health standards.
Mr Bull said his office has had suggestions ranging from filling and chlorinating the pool and diverting the spring for summer, to using pumps or other engineering solutions to make it usable.
“The pool has to maintain an inflow / outflow (refresh) rate of 50 kilolitres per hour but I am told it is now down to 11 kilolitres per hour, said Mr Bull.
“While I understand this, I am not convinced enough effort has been put in to looking at ways to keep it open given the seasonal conditions and its importance to the town.
“I get the impression it has just been a case of ‘well if it doesn’t meet health regulations, we will close it’.
“I would like to see the Government try a bit harder to keep it open, work on some solutions and even if it costs a few thousand dollars, it pales into insignificance with this government’s $3 billion over run on the metro tunnel revealed last week.
“It’s about time they started looking after us,” said Mr Bull.