General News
20 March, 2026
Calls to repair lake jetty
A COMMUNITY angling club is calling for much-needed funding to repair a jetty at Lake Tooliorook, which has been closed off due to being a safety hazard.
The T-shaped jetty has sat unrepaired for a number of months, with boards broken and falling off and various weak points which could give way.
Lake Tooliorook Angling Club vice president Gaoffrey Campbell said the jetty had always been used for fishing and was his preferred place to drop a line in when he moved to the Lismore area 40 years ago.
“The lake’s been down to a creek twice since I’ve been here and then it’s all come back, but the way things are at the minute it’s not coming back good enough,” he said.
“There used to be a swimming area to the north of the jetty with big white marker buoys to block it off from the boats.
“The signs all got ripped out – they’re not light, but they rusted through the chain which held them to the weights and they floated in.”
An attempt had been made in the past to repair the jetty, with plans drawn up to replace the jetty with the same basic structure but with added ladders and rod holders.
Mr Campbell said Corangamite Shire Council, who act as the committee of management for the camping and visitor area and waterway manager, would regularly replace broken planks while the angling club sought funding for repairs.
“At that time, the finance wasn’t around,” he said.
“Eventually we got the finance through Better Boating Victoria, got all the plans done and then Parks Victoria came in and said ‘we control it – you’ve got to go through us’.
“That’s been going on for over two years.
“We need funding to get it done – the plans are there, they’ve done soils and the whole works.
“It makes me feel bad because it shouldn’t have gotten to that point. It should have been done long ago.”
Mr Campbell joined angling club president John Daly and Lismore resident Chris Lang at a meeting with Member for Polwarth Richard Riordan and Corangamite Shire mayor councillor Kate Makin and Mt Elephant Ward councillor Nick Cole at the lake on Tuesday.
Mr Riordan said Lake Tooliorook featured a small camping ground and was popular for fishing, water skiing, duck hunting and more.
“At peak times, they get a lot of extra visitors into those two townships which is much appreciated,” he said.
“It’s considered quite an important tourism driver for the community in the north of the shire, and they’re very keen to make sure the facilities are kept up to date.
“It’s a well-kept reserve, it’s a popular spot and it’s got a lovely view of the back of Mount Elephant.
“Something like a safe jetty for safe access in and out of boats is really important – at the height of summer, the water gets a bit low but all year round it can be a deep lake.”
Mr Riordan said he looked forward to working with the shire to advocate for funding for the jetty.
“The Victorian Government Boating Fund is one of the few government pools of money which has resources due to boat registrations and fishing licenses,” he said.
“I’m very keen to get Lake Tooliorook on the list – it may not be this year, but as soon as possible – to secure some funding to get the infrastructure fixed.”
Cr Cole said the jetty had been in a very poor condition for some time, with the jetty falling under the responsibility of Parks Victoria.
“One land parcel at the reserve is owned by Corangamite Shire with a Committee of Management designated to oversee the facility,” he said.
“Council has been working with Lake Tooliorook Committee of Management, Better Boating Victoria (BBV) and Fisheries Victoria (FV) since 2023.
“BBV completed a detailed design for a new jetty in 2023, following stakeholder engagement.
“The jetty replacement is in their long-term work program within the next few years, pending budget development.
“Council is supportive of the committee in encouraging BBV to bring the works forward as a priority.”
Parks Victoria area chief ranger Dale Antonysen said, as land manager for the Lake Tooliorook Lake Reserve, Parks Victoria is working on plans with council for the future of the jetties including the T-shaped jetty.
“We know how important the lake is for the community, and we’ll make sure they are consulted and informed as we progress,” he said.
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