General News
4 May, 2023
Change for Energy Breakthrough after participation decline
Last year’s Energy Breakthrough (EB) event saw a 30 percent decline in participation, with the Central Goldfields Shire Council noting a number of improvements and changes to be made at this year’s event. EB returned in 2022 following a two-year...
Last year’s Energy Breakthrough (EB) event saw a 30 percent decline in participation, with the Central Goldfields Shire Council noting a number of improvements and changes to be made at this year’s event.
EB returned in 2022 following a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic, seeing some 4600 students from 97 schools participate and an estimated 10,000 supporters travelling to Maryborough, according to the report tabled at Tuesday’s council meeting.
It was noted that overall participation in last year’s event was down by some 30 percent, with 95 schools withdrawing, largely due to time and resource constraints, but despite this, the event injected some $3.3 million into the local economy.
Speaking during Tuesday’s meeting, councillor Liesbeth Long said factors including the pandemic in the lead up to the event and adverse weather during the event itself presented challenges.
“It was an event like no other with lots of challenges, including a site-wide evacuation due to an impending storm, severe winds that blew barriers onto the track, a fire in the battery shed and antisocial behaviour,” she said.
“There were lots of positives too and for me personally, I loved seeing the robotics exhibition event that will become a fully fledged event at this year’s EB.
“While it’s good to reflect on last year’s event, the management committee, action group and community engagement committee are certainly not sitting on their haunches, with work for the 2023 event well underway.”
The event debrief report followed a strategic planning session in December which saw representatives from council, the Community Education Partnership, Victoria Police and volunteers.
The report found additional challenges last year’s event faced were running costs that had increased by up to 30 percent, relocation of schools due to severe weather, antisocial behaviour with tacks thrown on the track causing around 30 tyre punctures and cancelled awards ceremonies due to weather.
Despite the challenges, the report states there was overwhelmingly positive feedback from students, teachers, volunteers and spectators, with a strong influx of new volunteers.
Among the top priorities for upcoming events are earlier recruitment of volunteers, undertake earlier engagement with schools, promote EB throughout the year and find a major sponsor for the event and lobby the government for additional support.
Councillor Geoff Lovett said the event’s long standing history is due in part to its continual refinement.
“Unquestionably the EB is the largest event we see in Maryborough or Central Goldfields Shire and has been for 30 years,” he said.
“Over those 30 years, we have been aware as a community, that a number of other towns much larger than us have eyed this event and would love to poach it from us — we have always disputed that.
“One of the reasons it has been resisted is because the event has continually evolved and that’s why this debrief report is so important.
“It’s key that all relevant parties sit down after the event and discuss not only the successes, but what we need to do to improve it.
“Each year, major improvements have been made and will continue to be made and that will ensure EB stays where it belongs.”