The Tchum Lake Aquatic Club has ushered in a new era of leadership, with Alex Noonan taking the helm as president following Andrew Lee’s dedicated eight-year tenure.

Alex will be assisted in his role by vice-president Jak Goldsmith, forming a dynamic leadership duo eager to drive the club forward. They will be capably supported by Ed Rickard, who has stepped into the position of secretary, replacing Simone Christie, who had been secretary for the past 11 years; and Kylie Walsh, who remains steadfast as treasurer, continuing her important contributions to the club’s operations.

Weed problem

One of the first challenges facing the new executive team is tackling the lake’s significant weed problem. Andrew Ryan has been cutting weeds with his specialised aquatic weed harvester machine, while committee members and local businesses are experimenting with alternative methods for cutting and collecting the weed and working on developing a weed-cutting machine for the club’s exclusive use.

Committee

This year, the executive will be actively seeking additional committee members to take on more leadership responsibilities to reduce the burden on the executive. These roles will include overseeing grounds and facilities maintenance, managing the caretaker and camping grounds, and preparing for the new responsibilities tied to the cabin project.

A two bedroom all abilities cabin has recently been relocated to the camping area as part of the Buloke Shire’s cabin infrastructure for tourism and short-term accommodation project funded by the Victorian government.

The shire is still working on completing this project across the shire, but once power, sewerage, and fire systems are installed, the cabin will be a wonderful addition to the amenities at Tchum Lake. There will be some practical issues to navigate for the committee, but once these are all finalised the community and visitors will be notified via the Tchum Lake page on Facebook.

Infrastructure

Recent infrastructure improvements underscore the club’s commitment to enhancing Tchum Lake for the local community and visitors to the region. Following the Buloke Shire’s upgrades to the north end toilet block, the club has completed significant renovations to the south end toilet block with funding from the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action (DEECA).

Membership fees help the committee to continue to maintain and improve its facilities, ensuring the lake remains a cherished resource for the community. This year the fees remain unchanged: $100 for families, $40 for adults, $20 for seniors, and $10 for school-aged children.

Membership information will be distributed via a householder from the Birchip Neighbourhood House next week, but existing members can simplify the process by transferring their payment directly to the Tchum Lake Aquatic Club account. Existing members do not need to complete the registration process.

With a revitalised executive team, dedicated committee and an ambitious agenda, the future looks bright for the Tchum Lake Aquatic Club.

This article appeared in  The Buloke Times, 22 November 2024.