Traralgon: Footy club still using temporary facilities 12 months after flood

Major floods hit Traralgon last year and the town’s footy club is still in recovery mode. Find out what is causing delay.

Traralgon Football-Netball Club is staring at the grim prospect of being without permanent change rooms for another two seasons after its home ground suffered major flood damage more than a year ago.

The Gippsland league club was initially forced to relocate home games before temporary change rooms were built and matches returned last month.

The biggest stumbling block to building new floodproof facilities is a funding shortfall with just $2 million from Latrobe City Council and $4.75m from the Victorian Government locked in for the project, costed at more than $10m.

Traralgon Football-Netball Club president Kevin Foley. Picture: Supplied

“We’ve been trying to get new facilities which won’t go under in a flood for 20 to 30 years,” Traralgon president Kevin Foley said.

“The council is limited as to how much they can put into it.

“It’s purely about the dollars.

“It was hoped the Federal Government would come to the party, but they didn’t.

“I’m realistic about the situation not being resolved next year and to be honest we could be struggling to have something ready for the year after the way things are going.”

The June 10 Traralgon Creek flood last year was one of the most destructive on record.

It runs nearby the Traralgon Recreation Reserve, which has been the football-netball club’s long term home.

Other user groups are relocating to the town’s racecourse, Glenview Park, but the football-netball club wants to stay.

“We’ve got too much infrastructure at the ground to move somewhere else,” Mr Foley said.

The club is also missing out on more than $2000 in canteen income at each home ground game due to the canteen building also being out of action due to the flood.

The flooded Traralgon Recreation Reserve last year.

Volunteers operate a canteen from a caravan on game day with a limited offering of food and drinks.

Traralgon is hoping to make up some of the lost revenue by hosting a finals match this year despite having only temporary change rooms for competing teams.

“We could host a final with some food trucks and stuff like that brought in,” Mr Foley said.

“Sometimes you’ve just got to deal with the hand you’re dealt.”

Latrobe City mayor Kellie O'Callaghan. Picture: Mark Stewart

Latrobe City mayor Kellie O’Callaghan said council continued to advocate for the further $3.25m needed to complete the project.

“We would welcome the opportunity to work with the Federal Government to build crucial community infrastructure and allow these groups to move ahead from what has been a challenging 12 months,” she said.