AN environmental problem will be turned into a recreational, tourism and sports park thanks to the Moree community.

Moree Water Park was born after the state government raised concerns about how water from the Great Artesian Basin was being disposed after flowing through Moree’s famous hot pools.

This feature has been sponsored by:

About 10 years ago the government ordered spent water must not be discharged into the Mehi River.

Moree Plains residents were on notice to find another way of disposing of such water.

After an intensive search, Moree Plains Shire Council decided upon the Evergreen Precinct as being a flood-free area; water ponds for storage and evaporation were proposed as an environmentally and economically sound method for complying with the government’s directive.

About the same time, Moree Water Ski Club officials were searching for a suitable area for their water-based recreational and sporting activities. 

They proposed the water storage ponds be turned into lakes, to be filled with the spent artesian water.

Studies were completed and a development application lodged. 

Consent was granted by Council three years ago.

Work on the three lakes began in November, 2014 and was completed just six months later.

“We now have a water ski lake facility that, in time, will be the envy of the nation,” ex-councillor and one of the drivers behind the project, James von Drehnen, said.

“There’s two operating slalom lakes that are 850 metres long and the recreational circuit lake is now filling.”

A nine-kilometre pipline stretching from the Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre carries spent artesian water to the park.

The community was invited to a “come and try” day in September, where many tried their hand on the slalom course.

There was also an official opening.

The ski club will organise working bees with members in the future to help in the upkeep of the grounds.

Meanwhile, the two small lakes are already full and the big lake will take about 18 months to fill.