Thomas Marr and Walter Moore Reserves is situated in the heart of the Eildon Township. The two reserves combine for a total area of eight acres, including the Eildon Outdoor Pool, the Eildon Dams Museum and the Eildon Information Centre.
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This regionally significant project will provide a wonderful experience and enhance the recreation offering. It will also attract more visitors to the area, promote investment and provide a real boost for our local economy. The park will improve the opportunity for recreational activities for the Eildon community by providing more useable space, better facilities, improved pedestrian path connections and an increase of trees and greenery.

Council has been successful in attracting the following grant funding to support delivery of the project:

• $3.5 million through RDV’s Regional Tourism Investment Fund
• $400,000 through the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Fund
• $136,800 through DFFH’s Changing Places Fund
• $150,000 through SRV’s Local Sport Infrastructure Fund
• Council has proposed to contributed $1.2 million to the project from a mixture of reserve funds and proposed sale of council land funds

The Total Project Budget to deliver stage 1 and 2 is $5.83 million with a construct budget of $5.16 million.

We’ll continue to seek additional funding from state and federal governments to complete final stage of the project, which would see the construction of a pump track and additional footpaths and lighting.

Stage one of the project includes the splash park, toilets, change rooms and picnic shelter, as well as the installation of new footpaths and upgrades to park furniture and other facilities. The construction of a senior play space for older community members, installation of a flying fox and swing area, the delivery of a brand-new skate park,

Further stages include the pump track, additional footpaths and lighting, and improvements to parking in the area.

The final plans include a pedestrian link across Utah Place, which will change traffic conditions and make it a no-through road. We’ve included this change based on feedback from community members who expressed concerns for the safety of pedestrians, including families with young children, moving between the two reserves.

Designs have been completed to increase the amount of carparks surrounding the Eildon Reserves and will be considered for construction at a later stage. Current plans include seven standard angled bays and two angled accessible bays in front of the change facility (along High Street).

The existing parallel parking is being retained. Current traffic impact investigations have shown that there is enough capacity within the existing infrastructure to accommodate the park in its early stages. Council will look to develop more parking as the size of the facility grows and its attendance increases.

Council is still developing the funding model for the Eildon Splash and Skate Park project, including the potential sale of two parcels of Council-owned land in Eildon at 18 Twenty First Street (two or three parcels) and 10 Eighth Street.

There are a number of reasons we are looking at selling these two parcels of land, including:

• Council’s Recreation and Open Space Strategy (finalised in 2019 following extensive community consultation) identified an oversupply of under-used open space assets in Eildon township.
• Council has committed to making a $1.2 million financial contribution to the Eildon Splash and Skate Park project, which could include revenue from the proposed land sales.
• Surplus funds from the land sales would be retained for further investment in Eildon, including the Eildon Splash and Skate Park.
• The land sales would free up land for residential developments in Eildon which could, in part, address the current rental and housing shortage.
• The Eildon Splash and Skate Park project has been developed to improve the recreational offering for community and visitors to enable social and economic outcomes for Eildon’s revitalisation.

Council first started talking with the Eildon community about the future of Thomas Marr and Walter Moore Reserves back in 2019. Then in 2020, following a second round of community consultation, Council adopted an Improvement Plan for the precinct.

We then worked with landscape architects, JF Studio, to develop the concept design for the precinct, known as ‘Eildon Splash and Skate Park’ alongside local representatives from the Taungurung Land and Waters Council, Baan Ganalina Water Group, Eildon Primary School students and other key stakeholders.

Earlier in 2022 Council held the third round of community consultation asking for feedback on the Concept Design.

During the recent consultation period, which ran from 31 August to 23 October, we received mixed feedback from the community on the proposed sale of land. As a result of this, before we make any decisions and make a start on the project, Council would like to have further conversations with the community about the funding model for the Eildon Reserves Redevelopment, and the project more broadly. This is happening during February and March 2023. Click here to learn about the Deliberative Panel

The Lake Eildon Masterplan ‘Activating Lake Eildon’ identified a splash park as a tier two (local) priority project for the Eildon Township. The project also aligns with the strategic direction in Council’s Recreation and Open Space Strategy 2018 – 2028, the Eildon Structure Plan 2016 and our Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan 2021 – 2025.

This project also aligns with the following Council Plan 2021 - 2025 strategies:

• support and promote our tourism and events sector to boost the economy through increased visitation
• provide and promote safe, passive and active recreational opportunities that will enhance the health, and wellbeing of residents and visitors
• provide fit-for-purpose infrastructure that meets current and future service demands and needs for our community
• provide spaces within our towns that are vibrant, attractive, safe and accessible.