Latest news Dec 2011

Application for the launching pontoons has failed.

Rowing Victoria has declared that the banks are so unsafe that no further Regattas will be held at the NWSC until Parks Victoria

act to  address the unsafe conditions along the bank in front of the rowing sheds.

O, H & S issues.

For a long time now the bank in front of the rowing club sheds have been eroded away by the natural flow of the water course and the wash from motor boats.

This has made the launching and retrival of the boats very dangerous.

Also the fact that rowers have to walk into the water upto their knees is hasardous with foreign materials such as broken glass and syringes being in the water out of sight.

Application has been made to local and state government about this issuse for the urgent need for launching pontoons.

Nearly all other rowing areas in Victoria with similar situations have been given grants for pontoons.

The club is in the process of applying for a grant to solve this dangerous situation.

If only federal, state and local governments could get their act together the NWSC would not only be suitable for Victorian State and Australian Championships, it could easily host a world championships if the course was rebuilt back to it's original standard with starting pontoons, dredging and buoying of the course.

Sealing of the entrance road, car park as well as the access road at the side of the course would be essential to make it a safe and sustainable sports area.

Security of the course and boat sheds and club buildings was noted to be an important issue and was aptly demonstrated when the visitors viewed the change rooms at the sports center which were vandalized extensively that very day with an attempt to burn the area down.!

The NWSC has suffered from fragmented funding and management, with different government bodies responsible for the water course and the grounds. Parks Victoria manage the grounds with an extremely restricted budget and little or no interest in rowing or the other water sports that take place on the course.

For the NWSC to be successful a specific management body needs to be set up with an active interest in sport and recreation.

This would require its own budget which should have a formula for contributions from the local Councils, State and Federal Governments. The budget would require an on going maintenance component and one for future development of the area.

This is the only rowing course this side of Melbourne.

With the opening up of East Link, Frankston Freeway and the Thompsons Rd development the course is readily and safely accessible from Melbourne and the whole of Victoria without impacting on urban traffic.

As there is no adjacent urban housing and as the land area consists mostly of open mown grass there would be no environmental impact or residential complaints concerning future development and volume of usage.

As the main infrastructure is already in place it would take relatively small amount of money to return the course to it's former glory.

The large open areas of grass now used for parking several times per year could be easily developed into playing fields, other sport and recreation areas, and even an Olympic size swimming pool development similar to that at Albert Park would be achievable.

With the rapid urban development this side of Dandenong, Cranbourne and the Mornington Peninsula it would be a waste to loose such an important sporting asset.

A co-operative approach from all levels of Government will be required for this vision to be achieved.