Moyne Shire rural access project officer Neil Ballard at Yambuk Lake, where a new fishing platform and other improvements have been rolled out to improve access.
RECENT improvements to Yambuk Lake will make it easier for anglers of all abilities to land the catch of the day.
It’s places like this that will appear in Moyne Shire’s new access guide, which highlights the accessible features of towns and sites across the municipality.
Moyne Shire rural access project officer Neil Ballard said the guide had been specifically designed for visitors and residents who had limited mobility, including wheelchair users.
“It’s targeted at tourists but obviously residents will find it handy,” Mr Ballard said.
He said the guide highlighted accessible toilets, accessible parking bays, accessible buildings and other key places and landmarks.
“We hope the access guide proves valuable to those people with limited mobility and makes it easy for them to travel around the shire easily and safely,” he said.
The recently published guide can be obtained from the Moyne Shire offices in Port Fairy and Mortlake and the visitor information centres in Port Fairy, Mortlake and Koroit. It can also be downloaded from the Community Services page of the Moyne Shire Council website under Rural Access Program.
The new fishing platform and path at Yambuk Lake are too recent to have appeared in the guide, but Moyne Shire mayor Jim Doukas said the project was a worthwhile one as the car parking and improved pathway would make access easier.
“Overall, the project should make the fishing spot more appealing to a wider cross-section of the community,” Cr Doukas said.
“The platform gives onshore anglers access to the deeper parts of the lake. It also gives them their own area away from the jetty where people launch boats, which improves safety.
“Dedicated anglers will go where the fish are biting but these improvements will make Yambuk Lake more attractive to families, novices and people who only throw in a line now and again.”
The improvements were made possible thanks to a $32,408 grant from the Department of Primary Industries’ recreational fishing grants program.
Cr Doukas said the lake upgrade and the access guide were part of the shire’s commitment to being inclusive to all.
