A New Direction for LBCCG

During the 2006-2007 financial year, Lake Baroon Catchment Care Group experienced the most significant changes to its business operations since its inception in 1993.  The Group worked with Natural Solutions Environmental Consultancy to develop a business case for a ‘Large Scale Rehabilitation Project’ in the catchment.  Using this comprehensive document, they successfully lobbied the AquaGen Board to increase their annual project budget by 285% to $100,000.  The group was also successful in lobbying the AquaGen Board to increase their administration funding in order to employ the Lake Baroon Project Officer full-time.  At their meeting in November 2007, the Board approved funding of a total of $1.8 million for LBCCG over the following ten years.

Catchment House

In 2006, AquaGen bought a 40 hectare property along North Maleny Road. The property has extensive areas of bush extending from a ridge down a steep gully to the Bridge Creek. On the ridge sits a small house that AquaGen has renovated to create offices for Lake Baroon Catchment Care Group. The converted detached house contains three separate offices, a foyer, reception, display room, kitchen and meeting room.  The latter is set up for community meetings, seminars and workshops, with a data projector available for presentations (bought using a federal Volunteer Small Equipment Grant).  The beautiful camphor laurel table in this room was created by Cooroora Woodworkers and funded by a Gambling Community Benefit Fund grant received in 2007.

The grounds surrounding the building may potentially provide many and varied project opportunities relating to catchment management for Lake Baroon. 

The new office was officially opened on November 23, 2007 by the President of AquaGen and mayor of Caloundra City Don Aldous, with other Board members in attendance. The opening was followed later that day by a barbecue for all members and friends of LBCCG.