Community
23 July, 2025
Rec reserve sees new upgrade
A BEACH Energy partnership with Corangamite Shire Council has delivered a major upgrade to one of the region’s iconic multisport venues.
Beach Energy and the shire provided support for the Cobden Recreation Reserve to undergo a major irrigation upgrade to improve the quality of the oval, which is a key piece of infrastructure for the local community.
Beach Energy contributed $65,000 towards the upgrade while the shire contributed $25,000.
The upgrade has also reduced volunteer hours immensely as watering the oval is now done via a mobile phone app overnight, ensuring the grass is watered when and where it needs to be.
The Cobden Community Bank Recreation Reserve is the home of the Cobden Football Netball Club, Cobden Junior Football Netball Club, Cobden Cricket Club, Cobden and District Tennis Association and is also used for school sports days and the well-known Cobden Gift.
Cobden Recreation Reserve president Craig Dwyer thanked both Beach Energy and the council for making the upgrade to the oval possible.
“Many thanks to Beach Energy and the Corangamite Shire for their financial contributions to get our subsurface irrigation project completed,” he said.
“It’s bloody good to have some local guys who have chipped in some good coin to support us.
“As the most utilised recreation reserve in the shire, it will be fantastic to have the oval in pristine condition all year round.
“It has been a tremendous outcome for our volunteer management committee, the user groups and the entire Cobden community.”
Beach Energy managing director and chief executive officer Brett Woods said it has been a “pleasure” to help out the club.
“Beach supports local communities through the economic activity and energy security we contribute to, as well as though community investment that creates value for the community and for Beach as a local employer,” he said.
“We are proud to have played a key role in this important project for the 500 or so local people who use the grounds for football, cricket, netball, school sports days and of course the Cobden Gift.
“Many of our team who work at the Otway Gas Plant live in the local community and it is heartening to see the reserve in such great condition even in the middle of winter.
“It’s a pleasure to help the club and a pleasure for Beach to get in and help the council to put the irrigation in.
“Hopefully over the next few years the club can win a few grand finals back to back.”
Tandarook Ward councillor Jo Beard said she had personally seen the volunteer hours put into maintaining the oval and thought this project delivered great benefits to the community.
“It didn’t take much to convince my fellow councillors of the advantage of what this project was going to give to many people at this reserve,” she said.
“Thanks to Beach Energy for its continued support in the local community, and along with council’s contribution of $25,000, we can see firsthand the benefits created by this significant project.
“I see the hours that get put into this facility, the manual labour, and dragging hoses all times of day.
“This project has just delivered so many advantages and I’m sure it already is the epitome of so many other clubs across the region.”
Cr Beard said it was thanks to the recreation reserve committee and user groups which allowed the project to come to life and also the continued support of Beach Energy.
“It was the foresight of the rec reserve committee along with the user groups that were able to raise the money,” she said.
“We couldn’t have done it without Beach Energy, again, and for Corangamite Shire, we are just so grateful for the continued support that they not only give us as a council but our local communities.
“There are so many projects that have occurred, particularly down around Port Campbell and Timboon, that we’re now a beneficiary of their support, so thank you.
“Volunteers are the backbone of our community and support like this enables more than just easier workloads.
“It creates excitement and pride in achievement, which all user groups played a role in.”
With bigger project plans on the horizon, Cr Beard said she was looking forward to the next stages of the recreation reserve upgrades.
“To the community, this was a dream that came true,” she said.
“Now we move on to the bigger and better things – the next part of the redevelopment.”
Read More: Cobden