Alpine Shire Council has taken an important step towards planning for the future of community sport and recreation services with the adoption of the Aquatics and Indoor Stadium Feasibility Study.
Council currently operates three aquatic facilities in Bright, Mount Beauty and Myrtleford, along with indoor stadium facilities in Mount Beauty and Myrtleford, and limited access to courts at Bright P–12 College.
While these facilities continue to play a vital role in supporting community wellbeing, many are ageing and no longer reflect contemporary participation trends or service expectations.
Alpine Shire Mayor, Cr Sarah Nicholas, said the Study includes the condition and functionality of existing facilities, community participation trends and demand, benchmarking against comparable regional communities, potential upgrade and redevelopment options, and indicative costs and long‑term planning considerations.
"Our aquatic facilities and indoor stadiums are essential community assets that support health, social connection and active lifestyles across Alpine Shire,” she said.
“This Study gives us a clear picture of where our facilities are performing well, where gaps exist, and how we can plan responsibly for the future, based on evidence and strong community input.”
The Study found that while Alpine Shire’s aquatic facilities remain structurally sound with an estimated 20 years of useful life remaining, they are ageing and require increasing levels of maintenance. Plant infrastructure in particular will need ongoing investment.
Access to aquatic services is currently limited by the seasonal nature of outdoor pools, restricting opportunities for year‑round lap swimming, learn‑to‑swim programs, aquatic rehabilitation and broader community health programs.
For indoor stadiums, the Study found that court capacity does not meet current demand, particularly in Bright, where access is constrained. Growing participation in sports such as basketball and netball has placed increased pressure on existing infrastructure, with local clubs frequently reporting difficulty securing sufficient training and competition space.
The Study was informed by a comprehensive engagement process, including 232 community survey responses, seven targeted stakeholder interviews, Council officer workshops, site visits and technical reviews, and public consultation on the draft Study.
Consultation highlighted strong community use of existing facilities and growing demand for year‑round swimming access, learn‑to‑swim programs, aquatic fitness and rehabilitation, and additional indoor court space.
Public feedback also emphasised the importance of equitable investment across townships, concerns about travel distance to larger facilities outside the shire, and the need to consider long‑term expansion opportunities - particularly in Bright.
The identification of preferred sites for any future aquatic or indoor stadium development will be determined through future structure planning.
Cr Nicholas said that at the appropriate time, Council may progress to concept design and business case development for high‑priority projects.
"This is about planning ahead and making sure future investment decisions are thoughtful, staged and strategically justified,” she said.
“Importantly, this Study ensures those decisions are informed by robust evidence and what we’ve heard directly from our communities.”
To read the Aquatics and Indoor Stadium Feasibility Study and the Engagement Summary, visit: Aquatics and Indoor Stadium Feasibility Study | Engage Alpine