Stage one involved laying down more than 200 tonnes of crushed concrete last week, to act as the foundation for the camping ground, shade shelter, a car park area and a workshop space at the site.

A group of local contractors, including Grant Wilson from Wilson Excavation and Fabriform and Doug Dufty, came on board and generously offered their services to move the crushed concrete at a heavily discounted rate.

“It was about nine hours of full-on work,” Moree Water Ski Club president James von Drehnen said.

“They did a great job.”

The crushed concrete was recycled from concrete waste at the Moree Waste Management Facility and donated to the Moree Water Ski Club for use at the Water Park.

“It’s a great re-use of old concrete,” Mr von Drehnen said. “[Recycling] is very much what we’re about.”

Moree Plains Shire Council’s water and waste manager David Wolfenden said the Waste Management Facility had crushed concrete available, which they were happy to donate to the Water Park.

“We see a lot of concrete, it comes in all shapes and sizes and about once a year we engage a crushing company and they crush it up into a product we can use on roads,” he said.

“We had some product there we’re trying and were able to make available. It’s an opportunity to assist the ski club to improve the Water Park; it’s a council facility and we’ll continue to work together and support them.”

The gravelling activity marks the beginning of stage one of the Mehi Beach project, which includes the installation of a solar-powered pumping station and irrigation infrastructure.

In the coming months, a state government grant will be used to purchase a solar pumping and blending station.

Irrigation work has already commenced and landscaping work will continue.

“This is a great community project but it is a marathon not a sprint and we are laying down the foundation work the will benefit generations into the future,” Mr von Drehnen said.