General News
24 October, 2025
Outdoor pool reopening takes dive as project costs swell to $14 million
Central Goldfields Shire Council has revealed a rise in construction costs and expanded project scope has put the pool’s reopening further out of reach.
The cost of fully reopening the Maryborough Outdoor Pool Precinct has jumped to $14 million increasing the council’s funding shortfall to $5 million.
Central Goldfields Shire Council has revealed a rise in construction costs and expanded project scope has put the pool’s reopening further out of reach.
Council quietly released the latest increase within their annual report at this week’s council meeting.
It attributes the rise to an almost $2.4 million increase in construction costs and expanded project scope.
“This leaves a critical shortfall of $5 million for the entire project,” the report read.
Friends of Maryborough Outdoor Pool Precinct (FOMOP) chair Duncan Bates said it was deflating news.
“I’m gutted actually,” he said.
“It’s very hard to understand how they got to these figures and where it will stop.”
Council to date has secured $9 million of funding from state and federal governments, in part due to FOMOP’s advocacy, for what was then an over $10 million project.
However, the quintupled shortfall means council have developed an “advocacy document” seeking further funding from government to see the pool reopened.
It’s the latest price rise of numerous like it since the pool was closed due to its condition in 2022.
From up to $6 million for a demolition and rebuild in 2022, to $8 million in 2023, and then over $10 million earlier this year.
According to the officer’s report, that last increase also broke the project up into two stages due to the complex’s escalating costs and council’s tight financial position.
The $4.5 million stage one, which was fully funded, could have seen the complex partially reopened while the outdoor pool was repaired.
However, it’s unclear how the escalating costs have impacted this plan.
“It’s pretty demoralising,” Mr Bates said.
He said he’s concerned that council are approaching the project with a “too hard” mentality.
“It seems to have got caught up in a local government spiral of cost blow out,” he said.
However, according to Mr Bates, council told him the latest figure is “future proofed” against costs rising while the project is underway.
“We rely as ratepayers for them to ... think through projects and get the best value for money and deliver something the community needs,” he said.
“There is a risk that it’s poorly or over spec’d, they’re not getting value for money, and may deliver something that’s not necessarily required.
“I just hope, frankly, that they do their jobs and deliver what’s needed for the community.”
According to the annual report, the expanded project scope, which contributed to the price hike, includes improved equal access facilities and Environmentally Sustainable Design.
Council did not clarify the details or reasoning for the increase beyond what was in the annual report by print deadline.
Beyond concerns of “fluid” cost estimates, Mr Bates said he’s worried about community morale.
“I’m really worried that it’s easy to make everything look so hard and so expensive that everybody just throws their hands up and gives up,” he said.
“I’d like to tell people not to lose hope … just that it’s a longer journey.”