Central Highlands Water Sports Club launches drive for new members with Halloween party
A club based at Emerald’s Fairbairn Dam is on the hunt for new members after years of declining water levels and Covid have taken a toll. Here’s how you can get involved.
Central Queensland
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If you’re undecided about what to do for Halloween and you’re keen to be around people who are 18 years and older, then the Central Highlands Water Sports Club has you covered.
It will be hosting an 18+ event at the Clubhouse at Fairbairn Dam on Saturday that encourages attendees to “eat, drink and be scary.”
There will be food and drinks served, with live music by Maverick.
A bus will leave the railway station at 5.15pm on Saturday and will return to town about 11.30pm.
Central Highlands Water Sport Club treasurer Kellie McKenzie said the Halloween event was to raise funds for renovations needed at the clubhouse.
Ms McKenzie said since dam levels had lowered in recent years and Covid-19 happened, the club’s members had dropped by more than half.
“We have set our membership fees to cover the land leases by Sunwater and the Department of Natural Resources,” Ms McKenzie said.
“And then you’ve got public liability insurance, and electricity for out there, and all the running costs of the club, so our membership fees are set to try and cover that.
“And to cover that for each year we need, probably at least thirty members and our numbers dropped down to about 12.
“Now that the dam has gone up we (the club members) were talking about perhaps doing a membership drive, and having an open day so people can come out and actually have a look and see what the clubhouse and the club is all about.
“But up until there was no water in the dam it was very hard to get members at all.
“Saturday night we’ve got some new people that have booked to come out and we’re hoping that they will become members as well.”
The club isn’t a sports club that holds competitions but is about people of all ages having fun in and around the water safely.
“It’s more family orientated where you can come out with family and friends and enjoy some water sports,” Ms McKenzie said.
“So when the club originally opened back in the late 70s, early 80s, it was to promote water safety because the dam had only just been built, and there were a couple of drownings out at the dam and it was just that no one knew how to be safe around water because you’re out here, and all of a sudden you’ve got a big dam built with all of this water in it.
“We try to keep that original founding as part of the club too.”
Tickets are $45 per person and can be purchased at:
https://www.trybooking.com/CCBTO
Due to the recent wet weather, the dam level is currently sitting at 37.94 per cent.
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