Flemington's Outlook Less Rosy As Federal Grant For Water Strategy Dries Up

The Age

Thursday February 7, 2008

Lorna Edwards

FLEMINGTON racecourse's renowned rose gardens and grounds are "under threat" after the Federal Government yesterday pulled the plug on funding its alternative water strategy.

Victoria Racing Club chairman Rod Fitzroy said the loss of the $5 million federal grant to build a dam and desalination plant at Flemington was a bitter blow to its attempts to reduce water usage.

"We are very, very disappointed because this is surely an apolitical grant that really was about the future of using water wisely and tapping into alternative sources of water," he said.

"The preservation of Flemington's world-famous grounds and gardens is now under threat."

The club had planned to match the $5 million federal contribution to fund the $10 million project, which would tap into a saline aquifer under the course to recycle water for maintaining the grounds.

The club last year completed the biggest overhaul of the racecourse in its 150-year history, spending $11 million on upgrading the track with a less thirsty turf and other improvements to the grounds.

"This really curtails our capacity in times of drought to reduce reliance on potable or mains water to maintain that wonderful asset not just for Melbourne, Victoria, but for Australia," Mr Fitzroy said.

The club said it had had assurances from City West Water that it would receive sufficient mains water to maintain the racetrack, but the grounds that feature Flemington's roses were in jeopardy.

"I can't believe (the Federal Government) doesn't think developing alternative water strategies is a priority for their Government," Mr Fitzroy said.

"It seemed appropriate to us that this was a model project that others could follow as the way forward, the way of tomorrow."

Flemington's historic racecourse was granted heritage status by the Federal Government last year.

"I didn't note any cries of disagreement when that decision was made," Mr Fitzroy said.

The club had planned to have the desalination plant operational by next summer but will now review its water strategy.

© 2008 The Age

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