Sports stadium unable to be used for flood relief due to risk of inundation

By Max Stainkamph

Nov 3, 2022

Greater Shepparton Mayor, Shane Sali, Kim O’Keeffe, Shadow Minister for Sport Cindy McLeish, Cheryl Hammer, Wendy Lovell and Cr Geoff Dobson at Shepparton Sports Stadium — United front: City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali, Nationals candidate for the seat of Shepparton Kim O’Keeffe, Shadow Minister for Sport Cindy McLeish, Liberal candidate for the seat of Shepparton Cheryl Hammer, state Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell and Greater Shepparton councillor Geoff Dobson at Shepparton Sports Stadium on Thursday, where the Coalition pledged money to upgrade the facility should it win the election. Photo by Megan Fisher

Greater Shepparton City Council originally planned to use the Shepparton Sports Stadium as an evacuation point for residents fleeing rising floodwaters, but was unable to due to the stadium being below flood level.

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Mayor Shane Sali said the original plan was to use the stadium as a relief centre.

“Because it sits below the flood level, we weren’t able to use the significantly larger indoor facility that could accommodate the needs of a relief centre,” Cr Sali said.

“Obviously as the river was rising we couldn’t have everyone in here — and then could you imagine getting everyone in here to relocate?

“This is our preferred site (for a relief centre) because of the large indoor space, but we weren’t able to use it.”

Speaking at the announcement of a Victorian Coalition pledge to provide $20 million funding towards the $60 million proposed stadium rebuild, Cr Sali said while the city’s sporting infrastructure needed a boost, its potential effect would extend far beyond sport.

Instead of the sports stadium, the McIntosh Centre and Deakin Reserve were both used as evacuation centres for people in Shepparton and Mooroopna who were displaced by the floods.

More than 400 people were using the relief centres at their busiest.

“I think this event that we've experienced over the last couple of weeks highlights the need for an upgraded facility here,” Cr Sali said.