Bendigo Council votes to name new indoor pool the Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre

The Greater Bendigo City Council has voted to provisionally name its new $31 million indoor aquatic and recreation centre currently under construction in Kangaroo Flat the Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre.

Gurri Wanyarra means ‘kangaroo waterhole’ in the language of Bendigo’s traditional land owners the Dja Dja Wurrung.

The Council has also voted to name the learn-to-swim pool located within the new centre the Faith Leech Learn-to-Swim Pool in honour of Bendigo’s only Olympic gold medallist.

Faith Leech won Olympic gold in the 4x100 metre freestyle relay and bronze in the 100 metre freestyle at the 1956 Melbourne Games.

City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Margaret O’Rourke said the name Gurri Wanyarra Wellbeing Centre reflects the City’s commitment to increase recognition of the traditional owners, explaining “it also highlights that the new facility is much more than just an aquatic centre.”

The City held a public naming competition for the new facility in June and received 25 submissions and members of the Community Reference Group for the project were involved in short-listing the submissions that were received.

The provisional name is still subject to a further 30 day period of public consultation with the Council to consider the final proposed name at its meeting on Wednesday 18th October.

When complete at the end of the 2017/18 financial year, the new facility will feature an eight lane, 50 metre swimming pool, hydrotherapy/warm water pool and spa, children’s splash/play/learn to swim pool, sauna, gymnasium, multipurpose rooms, café, change rooms, landscaped lawn areas and carpark.

All three levels of government have invested in this project and the community will contribute $1 million through a fundraising campaign being co-ordinated by the Kangaroo Flat Community Enterprise. The total amount raised from the community to date is more than $525,000.

Residents can email their objection to the name at nameourpool@bendigo.vic.gov.au or by post to City of Greater Bendigo, Name our Pool, PO Box 733 Bendigo VIC 3552 before 18th September 2017.

The Council will only consider objections that explain why the objector opposes the name. 

7th September 2016 - BELGRAVIA LEISURE APPOINTED TO MANAGE NEW GREATER BENDIGO INDOOR AQUATIC AND WELLBEING CENTRE 

5th May 2016 - MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR WESTERN AUSTRALIAN AQUATIC AND RECREATION COMPLEX TO BE KNOWN AS COCKBURN ARC

21st April 2016 - BELGRAVIA LEISURE COMPLETES MANAGEMENT TAKEOVER OF CITY OF SYDNEY INDOOR AQUATIC CENTRES

1st April 2016 - AQUATICS AND RECREATION VICTORIA RELEASES ENERGY BENCHMARKING STUDY FOR AQUATIC CENTRES

16th October 2015 - BENDIGO COUNCIL PUSHES AHEAD WITH PLANS FOR NEW $30 MILLION BENDIGO AQUATIC CENTRE 

8th July 2015 - BENDIGO COUNCIL AGREES TO DEVELOP 50 METRE SWIMMING POOL AT KANGAROO FLAT

4th May 2015 - OUTDOOR SEASONAL POOLS UNDER ONGOING THREATS

15th September 2014 - CITY OF GREATER BENDIGO TO END SEASONAL POOL PASSES

5th February 2014 - CITY OF GREATER BENDIGO REVEALS PLANS FOR NEW AQUATIC AND WELLNESS CENTRE