Council & Business
28 November, 2025
Splash park, Carisbrook Railway Station projects shelved amid financial pressures
Central Goldfields Shire Council has benched two infrastructure projects as they work to improve their finances.
Central Goldfields Shire Council has benched two infrastructure projects, primarily due to cost, as council navigate a tight financial position.
Plans to build a splash park and turn the Carisbrook Railway Station into a community hub lost momentum at Wednesday night’s council meeting.
Both projects fell victim to Central Goldfields Shire Council’s tight financial position and plans to achieve an operating surplus.
The motions found that neither project aligned with the recently adopted Financial Plan, Asset Plan and Council Plan objectives.
Councillors resolved the splash park, despite strong community interest, was not currently financially viable and would be shelved.
The feasibility study found the facility would require a significant financial commitment from council.
According to the study, construction costs are estimated to be $1.36 million escalating to exceed $2.5 million once contingency, supporting infrastructure and adjoining play space improvements are included.
Moreover, the study found the facility would require ongoing operational and maintenance costs estimated at more than $114,000 per year.
However, councillor Jake Meyer questioned the estimated cost compared to other council’s splash parks.
“Why are we the only shire around that does not have a splash park,” he said.
“Surely the one next to [Creswick] IGA didn’t cost $1.4 million but my kids still enjoy it.”
More than 350 community members provided feedback to council since the study began with 97 percent indicating they would use a splash park.
Councillor Grace La Vella said while the facility isn’t currently viable it hadn’t been “dismissed” by council.
“Council remains committed to improving its financial position to a level that is both responsible and sustainable — something that is not currently the case,” she said.
“Council will continue to monitor its financial outlook and revisit the project when it becomes more feasible.”
However, council may have undermined their own plans for financial sustainability in their Carisbrook Railway Station decision.
According to the officer’s report, preliminary advice found the vacant and deteriorated station would cost $6 million to redevelop and $8,000 to lease through VicTrack’s community lease program.
The original motion recommended council not to prioritise the project because of the cost, that it didn’t align with council’s adopted plans, and would require the redirection of resources away from priority areas.
However, councillor Grace La Vella moved a successful amendment that the proposal be brought to council’s consideration within four years time.
This means the council would likely consider the project following the next local government election.
However, the amendment was contrary to Central Goldfields Shire CEO Peter Harriott’s advice citing the recently adopted Financial Plan 2025–2035 which does not include the project.
“That is a recently adopted council position to bring this council back into a sustainable position,” he said.
The plan identifies a “critical need” for council to save around $600,000 a year for the next five years.
This would not only improve their financial position, but address the shortfall between available funding and the cost of maintaining existing council-owned infrastructure.
The officer’s report puts this shortfall at 61 percent improving to 90–100 percent within five years.
The officer’s report said any investment or action relating to the Carisbrook Railway Station could “potentially undermine” council’s ability to reach these objectives.
Councillor Anna De Villiers said there are other avenues of funding for the project including advocacy by member for Ripon Martha Haylett.
“The $6 million … will not be expected from council. There are a number of organisations and authorities that will help to look for the money to progress this,” she
said.
However, according to the officer’s report, only small-scale grants are available for conservation works and there are no current state or federal programs that can pay for the redevelopment.
However, the project likely should have been included in the Council Plan 2025-2029 according to a carried notice of motion in the February council meeting.
This successful notice of motion aimed to include council’s intention of repurposing the disused station as a community hub in the plan.
Despite this vote happening ahead of the council plan being finalised, it was not included.
While its absence remains unclear, it also wasn’t included in the confirmed minutes of the meeting.
Councillors also voted for the council plan without its inclusion.