General News
2 April, 2026
Pool advocacy group updates community
A community advocacy group pushing for the Maryborough Outdoor Pool’s reopening updated local residents on their progress Tuesday night.
Friends of Maryborough Outdoor Pool Precinct (FOMOP) ran a community meeting March 31 to fill locals in on their progress over the past year.
The community group have been working to interrogate council’s decision-making surrounding the outdoor pool’s closure and their plans to fix it.
Since the precinct’s closure in 2022 the redevelopment’s cost has rose to $14 million and is likely to increase further.
Central Goldfields Shire Council broke the project up into three stages with construction on all but the Olympic-sized pool to be complete by the end of the 2026/27 FY.
Council to date has secured $9 million of funding from state and federal governments in part due to FOMOP’s advocacy.
While these milestones made headlines FOMOP chair Duncan Bates said they’ve continued advocating for the community.
“We’re just chipping away at this and at some point we’ll get there,” he said.
That’s involved bi-monthly meetings with Central Goldfields Shire Council, contacting stake-holders including Heritage Victoria and Member for Ripon Martha Haylett, and reading the two reports which condemned the pool.
Mr Bates said they’ve managed to learn information from council the councillors haven’t got access to.
“That all makes zero sense to me and it’s broken,” he said.
FOMOP committee member John Weston said that was the product of making inroads with council.
“We’re getting more traction with council because we’re meeting with them and getting into their confidence,” he said.
“We’ll feed back to the community whatever we find out there.”
Among that information are two assessments of the pool’s condition which inform council’s decision-making and the pool’s closure.
Mr Bates said he wants to get these reports peer reviewed. This is still in the works.
“They don’t strike me as repairs that are out of this world,” he said.
The meeting also revealed the community group’s fundraising success and what their future plans are.
October’s town-wide garage sale was the group’s first big fundraiser earning $2163.22.
This event will be followed up on October 10 this year in an improved format — including maps.
Country Trends Robyn Jennings has also come on board helping raise $4000 in her shop and helping organise $5000 of donated stock from Maxwell and Williams.
Local Jacinta Dwyer has also donated some paintings to be sold at Country Trends with proceeds going toward FOMOP.
The community group’s next big fundraiser is May 1 at the Maryborough Highland Society with FOMOP treasurer Lauren Woodward inviting the community to attend.
“That’s where we’re up to with our fundraising and hopefully, throughout this year, we’ll be able to raise a little bit more,” she said.
Mr Bates said the group are seeking more members, both on the committee and generally, with an AGM planned for April 20, 6 pm at the Maryborough Community Hub.
“We have to play the game to win,” he said.