General News
7 February, 2025
Maryborough Riding for the Disabled seeks new home before June relocation date
Maryborough Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) is on the hunt for a new location, with a deadline of June this year for its current site.
Maryborough RDA has operated from its Johnson Street site for a number of years, however, since Asteria acquired the site around 2017, RDA have been told they will soon no longer be able to use the ground.
Maryborough RDA president and chief coach Aileen Marshall said they have been recommended numerous local sites including Dunolly Racecourse, Maryborough Velodrome, and grounds as far away as Bealiba.
But she also said there is a criteria they need to meet to ensure the site is suitable to host equine activities.
“We have all of the facilities and things that we need to continue, we just need the suitable ground to put it on,” she said.
This includes being close enough that it can be used for school visits and have adequate parking space.
Once they secure a site, RDA also hopes to build an indoor arena.
Maryborough RDA was recently contacted by the Maryborough Aero Club, who offered a site, however Ms Marshall said while locations like this are helpful, she anticipates many sites need maintenance.
“We need cleared areas for structured lessons and different activities to keep it safe, places for cars and horse floats, and it has to be fenced off, we need areas suitable for different things,” she said.
“We want four to five acres, we could make it work.”
Ms Marshall acknowledges there are grounds in the community already owned and used by other organisations and she is willing to share that space.
“We are happy to share, it’s for the community, not just us,” she said.
She said the opportunities are unlimited if they can host the program at the right location.
“I just don’t want to see the RDA leave, and that’s what’s going to happen,” Ms Marshall said.
She also said that processes with Central Goldfields Shire Council and Department of Environment Energy Climate Action (DEECA) with securing exclusive land use are hindering their chances of securing a site in time.
“You ask, and then you find a hurdle, and then you jump that hurdle, but once you get over that, there’s two more hurdles, there’s no clear pathway. We just need clarity from DEECA and the council on what the last hurdle is. It scares me, it’s too many overlays,” she said.
“June this year is when we are asked to leave our present ground, we have got some places we really like, but we are just trying to get through the red tape.”
If RDA is unable to secure a location by June, Ms Marshall fears for the group being able to operate in Maryborough.
“We have about 30 volunteers, but the number of riders fluctuates now. The maximum number of riders we accept
in a day is 24, but because of constraints in where we are, we have been really back down to 15 participants,” she said.
The Victorian branch of the Riding
for the Disabled Association has agreed to complete final lease agreements of a new site once a suitable ground is found.