Community
15 July, 2026
Rodney Grove fundraiser surges
THE committee of volunteers dedicated to reopening the doors to the Rodney Grove Aquatic Centre have inched close to raising $50,000 following a Fun Trivia Afternoon held over the weekend.
The Friends of Rodney Grove (FORG) committee hosted a Fun Trivia Afternoon on Sunday at the Cobden Bowls Club, with around 50 people in attendance to support the cause.
FORG chair Lesley Brown said the success of the day had been made all the sweeter thanks to a generous donation.
“We’ve got a really good attendance from everyone, with upwards of 45 people here,” she said.
“When we first arrived I got a cheque for $2500 from the Cobden Country Women’s Association branch.
“It’s just wonderful, and we’re having lots of fun.
“I would also like to thank the Cobden Bowls Club for graciously allowing us to use their facilities without charge.”
The FORG committee was formed in late 2025 after the closure of Cobden’s Rodney Grove Aquatic Centre, the region’s only indoor heated swimming pool which attracted visitors from across the region.
Operator Cobdenhealth cited soaring costs associated with the maintenance of the pool as the reason for closure, in a bid to protect the bottom line in maintaining health services, but FORG stepped up with a vision for saving the beloved community asset.
FORG is aiming to raise $250,000 in critical maintenance works on the pool, in addition to $116,000 per year in ongoing maintenance costs.
Mrs Brown said the Fun Trivia Afternoon fundraiser, as with the other fundraisers, had drawn support from across the region.
“We’ve had people come from Colac, Princetown, Noorat and more,” she said.
“That’s great support because they all want to be able to use the pool.
“I think we’ve raised another $700 today, on top of the $2500 donation.”
Mrs Brown said the fundraiser had now reached around $46,000.
“We’re very proud,” she said.
“We do it because people are so generous and they want the pool open.
“It’s such an important asset for people’s health and wellbeing, in every way.
“Not only for the social side of it but as a place for people to go and do exercises.”
The volunteer committee will look to take a break until September, with a range of fundraising concepts planned for the end of the year.
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