Cranbourne Turf Club chairman Robin Daley (right) and events and operations manager Helen Flanagan with Cranbourne MP Jude Perera at the dam site.
THE State Government has announced funding for racing projects, including a new watering and irrigation system at the Cranbourne Turf Club and Training Centre.
Minister for Environment and Water John Thwaites yesterday (Wednesday) unveiled the projects, which also includes five new horse ambulances.
Cranbourne Turf Club and Cranbourne Training Centre are now drought-proof and have completely removed their reliance on drinking water for irrigation.
This initiative was achieved with Government funding through the construction of a 24-megalitre dam at Cranbourne Turf Club to hold stormwater run-off and treated effluent from the adjacent Eastern Irrigation Scheme (EIS) pipeline and a grant to connect the Cranbourne Training Centre to the new EIS pipeline.
This connection now allows the equine sand training tracks to be watered with treated water, and. once fully commissioned, will be used to irrigate the centre’s two grass training tracks.
The two water projects are on target to save more than 150 megalitres of drinking water per annum.
Mr Thwaites announced $20,000 funding to each of the Cranbourne Training Complex and Cranbourne Racecourse for track moisture management equipment.
Minister for Racing John Pandazopoulos emphasised the importance of these projects for Cranbourne, which is home to Australia’s largest thoroughbred training centre.
“Regional racing’s annual contribution to the Victorian economy is almost $1 billion and, in the Cranbourne area alone, is responsible for an estimated 1500 jobs,” he said.
“And, of course, the Cranbourne Cup itself, which was held on a Sunday, is a very important event for the local community and helps serve notice that the Spring Racing Carnival is under way.”
