Council & Politics
3 August, 2026
Council readies funding blueprint for redevelopment
NORTHERN Grampians Shire Council is expected to unveil a funding blueprint for the long-awaited redevelopment of the Stawell Sports and Aquatic Centre this week after a series of strategy meetings.
The renewed advocacy campaign follows calls from users for the redevelopment to be prioritised amid ongoing concerns about the condition and limitations of the ageing centre, including water leaking onto the basketball court during wet weather.
Mayor Karen Hyslop said the project had been a council priority since a feasibility study was completed with Sport and Recreation Victoria in 2021.
“The challenge, as with any large redevelopment project of this size, is determining the investment needed and determining potential funding options available, as council cannot deliver these projects alone,” she said.
The proposed redevelopment would be delivered in stages, including replacing the existing 15-metre indoor pool with a new 25-metre aquatic facility and expanding indoor sporting facilities.
Council has spent the year lobbying politicians from across the political spectrum ahead of November’s state election, including Labor MP for Western Victoria Jacinta Ermacora, Opposition Leader Jess Wilson, Victorian Nationals leader Danny O’Brien and Lowan MP Emma Kealy.
Council chief executive Brent McAlister and Cr Hyslop also distributed the council’s advocacy prospectus to federal politicians during the National General Assembly of Local Government in Canberra in June.
Council is now arranging meetings with candidates for Lowan and Ripon, with several already confirmed for August.
While council has outlined indicative funding requirements in its advocacy prospectus, Cr Hyslop said those figures were still being refined through ongoing funding assessments.
“It is important to note that while council has stated funding requirements in our prospectus for this project, these amounts are still being refined as council progresses through the necessary funding assessments and procedures,” she said.
Next week, council is expected to outline the specific funding it will seek from other levels of government and the size of its proposed financial contribution.
Stawell Wildcats Basketball Association president Greg Carter recently described the existing basketball stadium as “atrocious”, saying a Basketball Victoria representative had advised the association the venue did not meet minimum facility standards.
He said the lack of court space was restricting participation and limiting the association’s ability to grow.
“If we had an extra court, we’d probably double our participation,” he said.
Skene Street Specialist School has also backed the project, saying improved accessibility would allow more students to use the aquatic facilities alongside the wider community.
While pursuing external funding, council will continue investing in essential maintenance to keep the ageing facility safe, operational and accessible.
Cr Hyslop said maintenance would continue to be prioritised using a risk-based approach, focusing on critical plant, building and safety issues to minimise service disruptions and extend the life of the centre.
One example is the upgrade of the aquatic heating system, which is expected to be fully operational later this year. Council says the work effectively brings forward part of the first stage of the redevelopment by installing infrastructure that can be incorporated into the broader project if funding is secured.
Cr Hyslop said maintaining the ageing complex was expected to cost between $2 million and $3 million over the next decade – money she said would be better invested in the redevelopment itself.
“The reality of this approach is the maintenance bill will likely fall in the vicinity of $2-3 million over the next 10 years, ratepayer funds that council would prefer to invest into the centre’s redevelopment,” she said.
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