New irrigation upgrades will save water while keeping Yelarbon’s Lagoon Park green

New pop-up sprinklers and an automatic watering timer system will keep Yelarbon’s Lagoon Park looking green while improving its water efficiency.

Goondiwindi Regional Council has now finished installing the upgraded irrigation system, which will water the trees on both sides of the lagoon and the lawn on the northern side.

The park was previously hand-watered by local volunteers. The new system will both free up their time and optimise the watering schedule to keep the park as green as required, while using as little water as possible. It will also allow for more consistent and efficient watering throughout the summer – the amount of water used can also be easily and accurately adjusted in line with any relevant water restrictions.

The Yelarbon Community Consultative Committee (YCCC) had highlighted the project as part of its ‘master plan’ for the town’s beautification and development. Council has been working closely with the YCCC since October to develop their plan and help to implement their first-year priority projects.

Council allocated $26,500 from its 2020–21 COVID Works For Queensland program funding towards the project. As part of its 2021-22 Budget, Council has also announced a further $40,000 investment in various irrigation upgrades across the region to boost the water efficiency of local parks, gardens and sporting grounds.

Councillor Lachlan Brennan, who holds Council’s portfolio for Lifestyle (including the region’s parks and gardens), said the new watering system would ensure the park is attractive for residents and visitors year-round.

“We’re lucky to have so many beautiful parks and green spaces across our region, and the Yelarbon Lagoon and surrounding park are a key point of pride in Yelarbon,” Cr Brennan said. “These irrigation upgrades will ensure greater water efficiency in the park, which means we can minimise the amount of water used while still keeping the lawn and trees nice and green.

“The lagoon itself is of course the star of the now-famous Yelarbon silos, and so the Lagoon Park has become a bit of an iconic scene in the region,” he said. “Council and the YCCC have recently installed numerous information boards in the silo viewing area to direct visitors to the lagoon, as well as the recreation grounds and other key attractions in Yelarbon. The new signs help visitors to discover the inspiration behind the artwork, and also share the meaning behind the town’s name along with some of its history.”

The irrigation project complements several other recent Council upgrades in Yelarbon, such as the construction of the new footpath along Eena Street from the Yelarbon State School to Lagoon Street (creating a link from the main street to the Lagoon Park).

It also complements a suite of projects the YCCC has recently completed as part of its master plan, such as the installation of four new picnic shelters across the town, various upgrades at the Yelarbon silo viewing area, and the installation of new sculptures and signage around the town.