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Bamawn Reserve refreshed thanks to new sprinkler system

The Bamawn Lockington United Cricket Club (BLUCC) recently installed an automated sprinkler system and treated the Bamawn Recreation Reserve to a fresh layer of top soil, thanks in part to being awarded a community grant from Fosterville Gold Mine (FGM) in 2021.

“The recreation reserve is a very important part of Bamawn, so the grant has helped to improve the wellbeing of both the cricketers who play there and the community who have access to the space,” said Matt Hamilton, BLUCC President.

As an inclusive and growing club within the Goulburn Murray Cricket Association, members maintain the reserve solely through the support of volunteers and donations from the local community.

Prior to the sprinkler system being installed, the responsibility of watering the reserve was carried by a small team of volunteers, who had to manually water the fields using six manual sprinklers, presenting significant risk of injury.

“In addition, the field was badly in need of a layer of top soil in order to even out the surface and avoid players getting injured,” Matt explained.

The FGM Grant contributed towards enabling BLUCC to implement these improvements, while at the same time achieving 30% water and electricity savings.

“This project has breathed new life into the community at a time when everyone needs a place like the reserve to reconnect after all the disruptions due to COVID,” said Matt.

Since the upgrades, the club has gone from strength-to-strength and has added a second women’s team as well as having record numbers of juniors signing up for the season.

“This community project would not be possible without businesses like Fosterville Gold Mine being willing to invest in the community around them,” Matt concluded.

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