Northern Futures Project recommends Golden Rivers league fold
Long-awaited findings of a review in the Golden Rivers and Central Murray leagues have been handed down. See what happens next.
A country football league more than a century old has been recommended to wind up at the end of this season and its six existing clubs urged to find new homes or actively seek merger partners.
The Golden Rivers league is the biggest casualty of the Northern Futures Project’s key recommendations handed down on Wednesday night.
The project team led by Central Rivers board member and Swan Hill mayor Stuart King has been working with clubs since February in a move sparked by Ultima’s unsuccessful bid to switch from the Golden Rivers to Central Murray leagues late last year.
Remaining clubs Macorna, Murrabit, Hay, Moulamein and Wandella can either join Ultima in pursuing a move to Central Murray or seek a new home in other surrounding competitions including Loddon Valley and Picola District.
If new homes can’t be found, the Golden Rivers league will be permitted to continue in 2026 only with a minimum four clubs.
The Golden Rivers league, formed in 1919, was known as the Kerang and District league until 1998 when it changed name to better reflect its expansion beyond the Kerang area.
Since Covid, the Golden Rivers league had Quambatook fold and Nullawil join the North Central league.
Ultima president Nathan Condely said the Northern Futures Project team findings had reaffirmed the club’s belief the Golden Rivers league was on borrowed time.
“It has driven a broader look at the area which is fantastic,” he said.
“But Ultima needs to look after our future and we believe it’s in the Central Murray league.
“We want to be competitive across the board which means we need to improve in all grades.
“We’ve got fantastic coaches and leaders in our football and netball programs who have Central Murray experience.
“They all know what we need to compete and are prepared to do it.”
But Murrabit president Ross Stanton said he was disappointed with the recommended 2025 end to the Golden Rivers league.
“A club might say we are done and have no time to celebrate before they close the doors at the end of the year,” Stanton said.
“That’s a real disadvantage of putting a time frame on it.
“We’re heading for a rushed decision that won’t engage all our community and all of our members.
“We’ll all fail because of it all down the track.”
The last country football league to be closed down in Victoria was the Alberton league in 2020.
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