By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
A one-kilometre section of the Barwon River is about to be dredged as part of an effort to retain the Schoolgirls Head of the River event in Geelong.
Member for South Barwon Andrew Katos and council major events portfolio holder Ron Nelson announced the start of works this week.
The Schoolgirls Head of the River regatta was threatened when council and State Government argued about who should fund the $500,000 project.
The Independent reported in September that the Government had refused to help fund the urgent Barwon River dredging works.
The government told the Independent the work required to retain the event was a local responsibility.
The Government refusal was in response to Lara Labor MP John Eren accusing the state of risking the loss of the event because it was “stalling” on the funding.
However, the Government later backflipped on its decision when Premier Denis Napthine announced funding of $250,000, with council putting in $200,000 and Corangamite Catchment Management Authority $50,000.
“This important project will ensure that the Head of Schoolgirls rowing regatta is raced on the Barwon River until at least 2017,” Dr Napthine said.
The Head of Schoolgirls’ Regatta is the major rowing event for school girls in Victoria and one of the largest of its type in the southern hemisphere.
The regatta attracts more than 10,000 spectators and more than 1200 athletes to Geelong over a weekend in March.
The event generates an estimated $2 million in economic activity for Geelong annually and has been held on the Barwon River for 25 years.
The one-kilometre course will be dredged to a consistent depth of 1.9 metres.
