Popular swimming spot at Buchan Caves forced to shut
A popular holiday spot in the state’s east will be without one of its main attractions this summer. The area’s swimming pool has been declared unsafe and will shut this week, devastating locals and tourists.
VIC News
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Just days before the peak summer holiday season begins, an iconic swimming area will shut.
The closure of the Buchan Caves swimming pool comes as a blow to the many tourists and locals who use the facility every year.
The spring fed pool in Buchan, about four hours east of Melbourne, is a victim of Public Health and Wellbeing regulations.
Parks Victoria says the pool will be closed indefinitely from this Sunday.
“The safety of our visitors is our priority and due to a range of factors, the water quality of this pool is not safe for visitors to swim in,” a Parks Victoria statement reads.
“Parks Victoria have been monitoring water levels and water quality and this assessment has found that the swimming pool does not meet the mandatory standards.
“Visitor safety is Parks Victoria’s top priority, we have a duty to protect our visitors and ensure our public amenity is compliant.
“Parks Victoria is continuing to investigate ways to make the Buchan Caves Reserve swimming pool compliant.
“This includes investigations into how Parks Victoria can achieve the required to turnover rate and water quality standards to protect public health.”
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Under the regulations, all swimming pools have to turnover 25 per cent of the pool’s water each hour to meet health and hygiene standards.
A Facebook user called the impending closure as “bureaucracy gone mad”.