A continuous walking track will be built around Murtoa’s Lake Marma with the help of a $66,100 Brumby Labor Government grant announced today by the Member for Northern Victoria Region, Candy Broad.
Ms Broad said there was an existing walking track – about three kilometres long – along the east, south and west shorelines of the lake.
“However, a section at the north end has been eroded away and in order to complete the walk around the lake it is necessary to either cross this road twice or to walk along the road,” Ms Broad said.
“This situation obviously creates a danger to the elderly pedestrians as well as the younger track users and this project will address the problems relating to safety and as a consequence encourage greater participation in physical exercise from the community.
“The project will excavate the silt from the dry Lake bed to create a 16-metre wide embankment at the north end of the Lake which will link the existing walking track from the east and west sides of the Lake, a length of some 185 metres.
“The embankment will be protected from erosion by laying Geofabric under appropriate beaching material.
“The walking track will be constructed using compacted ‘B Grade’ crushed rock and will be 3.5 metres wide, allowing for pedestrian and bicycle access.”
Ms Broad said the Brumby Labor Government was supporting the project because a continuous walking track would encourage greater participation in passive and active recreation around Lake Marma.
“The project will eliminate the safety issues relating to the necessity of users to either cross, or walk on, a town road and allow for the staging of community ‘Walk Around The Lake’ days that would attract visitors from other areas to participate,” Ms Broad said.
“Attracting more visitors to the lake to use the walking track will also help boost Murtoa’s economy.”
Ms Broad said the grant for the $88,200 project would be provided through the Small Towns Development Fund to Yarriambiack Shire Council, which was contributing $14,660 with the rest to be provided in-kind.
‘’This project typifies initiatives supported by the Small Towns Development Fund, which are making a big difference to towns in provincial Victoria,” Ms Broad said.
“The Small Towns Development Fund is helping Victoria’s smaller towns create jobs, drive economic growth and improve community infrastructure.
“So far, the Fund has provided $42.9 million towards 442 projects worth $92.2 million, right across provincial Victoria.”