Jordan Crugnale opens new $600,000 Island croquet pavilion

“IT’S been a remarkable journey to get here today but it always starts with the community…”

It was with those words that Bass MP Jordan Crugnale officially opened the $600,000 new Phillip Island Croquet Club pavilion on Friday, October 7, just seven short years from inspiration to completion.

“You came up with the idea, you developed a staged approach, and you went to the council telling us this is what gets our community together. It’s not a clubrooms, it’s a magnificent pavilion.

“And it’s one of these grants, from the Sport and Recreation Victoria ‘Community Sports Infrastructure Stimulus Program’ that didn’t require a lot of local money from the council and the community to make it work.

“Your timing was perfect,” Ms Crugnale said.

Contributions to the project include; Council ($30,000), Sport and Recreation Victoria (SRV $545,000), Phillip Island Croquet Club ($25,000).

In addition, Bass Coast Council acknowledged the significant club contribution towards the detailed design for pavilion.

Club stalwart David Mann provided a brief history of the project, underscoring Ms Crugnale’s remarks.

“It was devised in 2015 as a three-stage development plan; 1. To build a half-size lawn, 2. A new clubhouse (old one not big enough, needed to be relocated), and 3. To extend the third lawn to full size,” said Mr Mann.

“We spoke to the council in 2016, discussed extending the existing clubrooms but it would have been more expensive and they raised the idea of going in with an application for the same sort of thing at Wonthaggi.

“The council put in an SRV application that was initially unsuccessful but was ultimately funded in 2021. We ambitiously set a target of five years, but seven years was a remarkably short journey.”

Mr Mann made the following formal thank yous: Bass Coast Shire Council, with special mention for recreation planner Kelly Boyd and project manager Abbas Niazi during the construction phase, the State Government, particularly SRV, Andrew Donahue Building Design, TS Constructions especially Mal Lindsay, Trevor Bowler and their team, the club’s sponsors Fineweld Stainless Steel, Amaroo Park, and The Bendigo Bank, and past president Pauleen Leditschke and present-day president John Swarbrick. And also, Jennie Wills for organising the day.

Both Mr Mann and croquet club president John Swarbrick praised the Bass Coast Shire Council for its leadership and its impeccable timing, and the state government for backing the initiative.

“It’s pleasing to hear council’s timing praised, that’s not always the case but we’ll certainly take that,” said Deputy Mayor Cr Leticia Laing, representing the council in the absence of Mayor Cr Michael Whelan who had an engagement in the Latrobe Valley.

Founding member, life member and former club president, Ruth Mackay, gave a potted history of the club’s 50-plus years from playing in Jean Jamieson’s small back yard, to the Cowes Recreation Reserve and ultimately the Blue Gum Estate where trouble with rabbits, levels and other challenges had to be overcome along the way.

The clouds parted, the sun came out and members and guests, including representatives from several surrounding clubs including Korumburra, Wonthaggi, Leongatha, Traralgon, Morwell and Drouin, came outside for the official opening by Jordan Crugnale, Cr Laing and Mr Swarbrick with a number of people, including Ms Crugnale trying their hand at croquet in front of the new pavilion.

“I’m more of a bocce player but I’ll give it a go,” said Ms Crugnale, making a hoop at her third or fourth try.

It was a big day for the club, and with the inclusion of a public toilet for the reserve, a big day for the Blue Gum Reserve, which also provides a home to the Phillip Island Scouts, a Frisbee Golf Course and passive recreation.

The croquet club is now looking for funding for an expansion of their third lawn and getting Dunsmore Road South sealed would also be a godsend.