Eureka!: Tourism accomm boosted

SECURING a grant is helping the Eureka Stockade Holiday Park to prioritise eco-friendly sustainable practices and upgrade its accommodation facilities.

“This was the biggest one we’ve gone for and we were successful,” said Eureka Stockade Holiday Park manager Peter McKenzie after they recently secured the grant through the state’s Regional Tourism Investment Fund 2024.

“It allows us to get rid of some of the more dated cabins. Those that are 20 years-plus in age we’re replacing.”

The upgrade will enable the park to install multiple new energy-efficient cabins including a dedicated all-abilities cabin and disabled ramp.

Mr McKenzie said the park is complementing the state-funded works by pitching in some dollars of its own to enable additional upgrades including installation of an on-site basketball and pickleball court, and a new children’s playground made of eco-friendly materials.

Upgrade works: Eureka Stockade Holiday Park manager Peter McKenzie with an energy efficient cabin similar to some of those soon to be installed using their Regional Tourism Investment Fund 2024 grant. Photos: EVIE LAMB

The upgrades will enable the park to host bigger groups, including larger school groups.

“It’s really going to change the scope for us,” he said.

“We’ve already done quite a bit of work since we heard about the grant and outside of the grant we are giving the whole park a facelift that we’re paying for ourselves.

“It is really good for Ballarat. It’s life-changing for us.”

He said the new sustainable design accommodation will include four duplexes, a disabled access cabin and three studios.

A new basketball court is going in as part of a wider upgrade project.

“They’ve all got water saving features, double-glazing, they’re double-insulated and they’ve got underfloor insulation,” Mr McKenzie said. “They’re about as sustainable as a cabin comes. The first will be the two duplexes delivered in October.”

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos recently announced the successful local grant recipients.

Ballarat’s BIG4 Ballarat Windmill Holiday Park was among them, receiving a grant through the Small Scale funding stream for a cabin and playground uplift project.

“Ballarat is such a special patch of Victoria and these projects will help even more people discover that,” Member for Eureka Michaela Settle said.