State MPs Wendy Lovell, Gaelle Broad and Peter Walsh have called on the Victorian Government to provide funding to redevelop the Rochester District War Memorial Pool.
Rochester RSL objects to Campaspe Shire Council’s plans to demolish the site, claiming it has been excluded from discussions.
Rochester flood recovery was a pressing topic at the Victorian Legislative Council regional sitting at Echuca Library on Thursday, April 18.
Northern Victoria MPs Ms Lovell and Ms Broad raised the future of the Rochester District War Memorial Pool at the Legislative Council.
The pool, built in 1956, the year of the Melbourne Olympics, was significantly damaged during the 2022 floods and has been unusable since.
“The state government needs to support the vision of Rochester residents and commit to delivering $12 million of funding for this aquatic facility,” Ms Lovell said.
“Residents of Rochester truly deserve a new pool that will revitalise the town after the trauma of the floods and leave a legacy that will benefit later generations.”
Ms Broad called on Attorney-General and fellow Northern Victoria MP Jaclyn Symes, who has yet to commit to funding the project.
“The refusal to allocate funding for the reconstruction of the Rochester swimming pool means that the Campaspe Shire Council and Rochester community will be continuing to fight for this project,” Ms Broad said.
While more than 600 residents participated in discussions about the future of the pool, Rochester RSL is disappointed in the council, who, it says, should have consulted it.
Community discussions were open to all residents in the Campaspe Shire. However, Rochester RSL president Cameron Lovering believes the RSL should have been involved as a group.
“We believed a private individual submission was unnecessary given the opportunity for a group submission,” he said.
“Because the council failed to invite our submission as a key stakeholder, the Rochester RSL has now been denied the opportunity to table its concerns for consideration in the consultation process.”
Mayor Rob Amos said it was unfortunate that Rochester RSL was not consulted on the matter. The council has since invited the RSL to join future discussions about the project.
“Whilst this was widely advertised via newspaper, social media, website, and we received an excellent response rate, it was an unfortunate omission that the RSL were not directly contacted to be involved in these activities,” Cr Amos said.
“Officers have been made aware of the RSL’s disappointment that they weren’t directly invited to consult and have since reached out to the RSL, inviting them to be involved in the next stages of the project and proposed new facility.”
The site is listed in the Victorian War Heritage Inventory and has historic signage, including the RSL Memorial plaque and the Rochester District War Memorial Pool Committee plaque.
It is also officially named the Rochester District War Memorial Pool, which the RSL said was not used by the council during community discussions about the project.
“The Rochester RSL is concerned that all correspondence on the subject has been titled ‘Rochester Pool’ rather than the ‘Rochester District War Memorial Pool’ by the council,” Mr Lovering said.
“The removal of the War Memorial moniker is misleading and dismissive of the pool’s purpose and historical commemorative significance.“
Cr Amos has used the official title of the pool in communications since and understands the RSL’s vested interest in the matter.
“The importance of the Rochester War Memorial Pool as culturally and historically significant infrastructure is not lost on council,“ he said.
“We want to honour and acknowledge the veteran community, ensuring their concerns are taken into consideration as we progress this exciting project with our community.”
The project is in its early stages, with demolition to begin as an “interim reprieve” while the community designs the new pool.
The RSL is against the pool's demolition and has made this stance clear.
“Rochester RSL is formally objecting to the council’s motion to demolish the pool and calling for an immediate cessation of all efforts to proceed with the demolition of this war memorial,“ Mr Lovering said.
The wider Rochester community responded positively to a new pool during the council discussion process, which included workshops, pop-in sessions and online and physical surveys.
“Campaspe Shire Council (is) advocating for a community-designed, purpose-built facility that will serve the community for the next 50 years,” Cr Amos said.
“The process to arrive (at) a final detailed design and ability to attract funding towards construction is some way off.”
State Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh has echoed calls for funding from the Victorian Government for the project.
“Communities like Rochester rely heavily on government assistance during natural disasters, but also for the years of recovery that come after,” Mr Walsh said.
“With the state budget on the horizon, I urge the Allan Labor Government to recognise the urgency of this situation and allocate the necessary resources for the reconstruction of the Rochester swimming pool.
“Our community’s wellbeing hangs in the balance as the damaged pool stands as a scar and reminder of the devastating floods.”