Despite bracing for an El Nino, likely to deliver another season of below average rain, the town is preparing to start pumping water into a major, new attraction.

Director of Wilde Civil construction company, Paul Wilde, said the finishing touches were being applied to the foundations of the Moree Water Ski Lakes.

“It will be ready to receive water within the fortnight,” Mr Wilde said last Wednesday during a visit to the site by the NSW governor. 

Mr Wilde said filling the lakes would take months. He hopes to have skiers on the water by December.

“It would be a great Christmas present for Moree,” he said. “This town needs some positives right now and this is just a win-win for everyone.”

The lakes will be filled with spent water from the Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre and from the bore baths of motels within town.

The project was designed to comply with the NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which banned discharging artesian water into the river system. 

Not only will the evaporation lakes protect Moree’s bore bathes, it will add a whole new industry to the local economy. 

The lakes will consist of six bodies of water, including two water-ski lakes and a recreational circuit lake, which will cater for other activities such as rowing, dragon boat racing and kayaking.

Mr Wilde said the first 135 megalitre water-ski lake would take about three months to fill, while the larger circuit lake could take up to 12 months. 

Project manager Aaron Wilde said not only were the Wildes invested in the project because they were locals, but also mad keen water skiers. 

“It’s going to be a pretty special moment when we turn those taps on,” Paul said. “You’ll have to shout a round for the workers.”

“They can definitely have a glass of mineral water on me,” Aaron said.