Showground caretaker change

A community user group will share caretaker responsibilities of Natimuk Showground with Natimuk Agricultural and Pastoral Society.

The society and Committee of Management Natimuk Showground signed a formal agreement confirming the new arrangement at a community ‘Over the Farm Gate’ event.

Showground management committee chairman Travis Mayberry organised the gathering.

Committee of Management Natimuk Showground is made up of two representatives from each Natimuk Showground user group.

The groups are Natimuk A and P Society, which owns the land, Arapiles Historical Society, Natimuk Tennis Club, Natimuk Men’s Shed and Natimuk United Football and Netball Club. Other groups that use the showground facilities, such as Natimuk Pre-school and Natimuk Primary School, are also represented.

The aim of the management group is to facilitate smooth operations at the showground, co-ordinating timetabling of facilities as well as ongoing maintenance at the reserve.

Natimuk and A and P Society secretary Judith Bysouth said the society was handing over the caretaking role with an understanding Natimuk Showground was in state-of-the-art condition.

“The foresight of the past ancestors to share the showground and develop it as a community hub was done with an enormous leap of faith and a great act of community spirit long before their time,” she said.

The society has stressed the agreement was far from an act of signing away the land or the society’s responsibility.

“It is an agreement to share respect and build strong communication with all partners to providing economic insurance out-comes for the benefit of the whole of the community,” Mrs Bysouth said.