Coal Creek improvements continue

COAL Creek Community Park and Museum’s restored rotunda, the park’s improved waterways and tidied up General Store will all be on show at the booked out All Hallows’ Eve event on Halloween.

While efforts continue to improve facilities, the dramatic increase in volunteers at the park is the strongest sign of Coal Creek’s resurgence after the pandemic.

When Coal Creek team leader Kim O’Connell started his role, there were just three volunteers remaining, with that number having now jumped to around 35, and Kim attributing that to people realising they can have a positive impact on the park by volunteering.

Newly inducted volunteer Roxy of Korumburra is a native Mandarin speaker, terrific news for Chinese tourists who will enjoy hearing her chat about Coal Creek without the need for translation.

Sentinel-Times toured Coal Creek recently with Kim and South Gippsland Shire Council’s manager of economy, community and investment Christian Stefani to observe progress.

Kim spoke of the close working relationship that now exists with council.

“We feel really integrated into the shire,” he said, noting the support of Christian and council’s coordinator of arts, culture and visitor economy Penni Ellicott.

The park’s current exhibition ‘Changed Forever’ runs until December 4. 

“It’s about conflict and the impact it leaves on veterans,” Kim said, adding visitor numbers have been lower than for previous exhibitions but the impact has been deeper on those who have attended.

Christian highlighted the importance of Coal Creek’s reimagined exhibition space, ideal for displaying the works of local artists and touring exhibitions such as ‘Changed Forever’, which has been brought to Coal Creek from Melbourne.

An upcoming summer exhibition in the park’s auditorium will showcase South Gippsland’s tourism assets.

After the conclusion of ‘Changed Forever’, an exhibition of the works of artist Rona Green will be held.

Christian spoke of the importance of Coal Creek in promoting the arts sector in combination with the park’s heritage elements, and its ability to play a part in introducing visitors to other aspects of what the broader South Gippsland region has to offer.

He stressed that the Visit South Gippsland website plays an important part in attracting visitors by showing them what is on offer.

In addition to the restored rotunda, restoration work is taking place on Coal Creek’s railway carriages, with volunteer expertise, passion and connections proving crucial, such as a rail engineer donating his time.

Following the clearing of weeds and sediment from the park’s waterways, future sediment brought in through the stormwater system will be trapped in a planned sediment pond and removed periodically to prevent it spreading throughout the park.

It is still intended to get the bush tramway operational, with Kim saying it needs to be determined how to ensure that is done in a sustainable fashion.

With in-house expertise continuing to increase, it is intended to draw on that to help carry out required works on buildings most in need of attention, with funding then to be sought for other work.

That follows detailed assessment of the buildings and restoration requirements, which has been conducted.

The General Store building will be open for All Hallows’ Eve after extensive tidying up inside.

Christian noted the importance of the close working relationship that has been established between council and the Friends of Coal Creek.

The park offers a space for a range of community organisations to hold events, with 10 such organisations involved in running the All Hallows’ Eve event.