Green Hill Lake Development Board has applied for a prisoner labour program to help with upkeep at the popular camping and fishing destination outside Ararat.
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Development board president Gwenda Allgood said a lot of small maintenance tasks had started to add up over the summer as the lake had proven a big draw with visitors.
“We’re trying to look at different ways to improve things while working with the Landmate crews,” she said.
“It’s a very large area for our committee to look after full time.”
Landmate crews are small groups of prisoners, with the supervision of an experienced Industry Officer, who undertake environmental works on private and public land.
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Prisoners from Trawalla’s Langi Kal Kal Prison and Ararat’s Hopkins Correctional Centre can participate in the program.
Ms Allgood said the Green Hill Lake needed some of its fences mended and topsoil replaced around the playground.
“It’s manual stuff, and that’s why we have applied to see if we can get some of those jobs done,” she said.
“Volunteers have been cutting the grass and cleaning the toilets when it gets busy, and it has been very busy at the lake this year.
“If we could get the Landmate crew to help out, that would be a plus for all of us.”
Green Hill Lake Development Board has yet to receive a response from Landmate as there is a formal application process the group must complete.
Ms Allgood said Green Hill Lake’s high visitor numbers had been “great for Ararat” and other tourist attractions.