Seq Water Update Some Goodnews.

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Lake Macdonald upgrade complete Over the last month, we have made several improvements to the Lake Macdonald recreation areas. The boat ramp access at Lake Macdonald Park has been upgraded and refurbished with the installation of bollards and a sealed asphalt surface. In addition, the car park area at Mary River Cod Park has been resurfaced and sealed. The upgrades were finalised on the Monday 25 July, with both areas now open to the public. This upgrade was implemented with the support of the Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing. New Picnic areas at Hinze Dam Feedback from the Recreation Review indicated significant support for improving picnic areas at Hinze Dam. With support from the Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing, two new picnic tables and shelters have been installed at Waterside Park in response to this feedback. The improved facilities were completed on Thursday 21 July. This marks the completion of the last outstanding outcome that was identified for Hinze Dam during the recreation review. Over the last two years, numerous improvements have been made to this iconic dam, nestled in the beautiful hinterland of the Gold Coast. The policy regarding dogs was the first change implemented in December 2014, and dog lovers have enjoyed the freedom to bring mans-best-friend into the park for over a year and half now. Other successful outcomes include the installation of a Paddle Craft launch point, improvements to on-site signage, a shade sail over the playground, rigging/de-rigging areas at boat ramps as well as the installation of shade shelters over picnic tables. With the last outcome completed, this represents a huge milestone for the recreation community at Hinze Dam and all those who had input into the Recreation Review process. Hopefully these outcomes will benefit the community for years to come, and make the recreational areas at Hinze Dam that much more enjoyable. Boating Permit Scheme ending for Lakes Wivenhoe and Somerset Seqwater is reducing red tape and lowering costs for the boating community at Lakes Somerset and Wivenhoe. In order to provide greater recreational opportunities for the community, the boating permit scheme will be phased out to bring Lakes Wivenhoe and Somerset in line with other Seqwater lakes, which do not require permits. The 12 month phase out started 1 August 2016, and pro rata permits will be available for purchase until the scheme ends 31 July 2017. More information on the Boating permit scheme and phase out process can be found on the Seqwater website. If you have any further queries, please contact the Seqwater Recreation team by calling 1800 737 928 or emailing recreation@seqwater.com.au. Opening Soon - Billies Bay and Hays Landing recreational areas Billies Bay and Hays Landing recreational areas at Wivenhoe Dam have been closed down for more than a decade. A major outcome of the Recreational Review was support from the community to re-open these areas to public recreation. However, the facilities need to be refurbished before they can be accessed by the public. We have begun upgrading these facilities and expect to be finished in another six to eight weeks. We’ll hold an official opening some time before summer 2016, subject to weather conditions and other unexpected delays. If you would like more information about this project, please contact the Seqwater Recreation team on 1800 737 928 or emailing recreation@seqwater.com.au. Ewen Maddock toilet block A new mountain bike trail network has opened on National Parks land adjacent to the Ornamental Wetlands at Ewen Maddock. To support this new facility, we are in the process of approving and installing a new toilet block at the trail’s head which starts on Seqwater land. The new toilet block should be complete late 2016. Samsonvale works delayed We began works on Lake Samsonvale Trails on 4 July 2016 and expected to be completed by 1 August. Unfortunately, we have encountered some unexpected delays. The 7 kilometres of multi-use trails and a new car park facility at the end of Postmans Track should be completed by September 2016. These trails will provide a much needed public trail system in the Samsonvale area. Borumba boat ramp underway The upgrade of the Borumba boat ramp is currently on schedule for completion at the end of August 2016. We understand the impact this temporary closure has on recreation visitors and local businesses. Every effort is being made to remain on schedule and re-open the boat ramp as soon as possible. If you would like more information about any of these upcoming projects, please contact the Seqwater Community Relations team (07) 3035 5500 or email communications@seqwater.com.au. Opening hours change 1 September 2016 as part of trial period Winter is almost over, and our opening hours will be extended on 1 September 2016 to improve seasonal access to our recreation areas. The new hours will apply to all Seqwater lakes and parks (public access areas). As always, night time access is prohibited due to operational and safety requirements. The revised hours for the trial period are:   September – April May – August 5:30am - 6:30pm 6:30am – 5:30pm   The success of this trial period will be evaluated in the next few months to determine whether the new opening hours will continue. Feedback from the community is one of the key factors determining the success of this trial, and your opinion is very important to us. Let us know what you think by calling 1800 737 928 or emailing recreation@seqwater.com.au. Celebrating milestones for two iconic dams An estimated 2,000 people attended the festivities on Saturday 23 July to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Hinze Dam. The dam was originally constructed in 1976 and is the regions third largest drinking water supply dam. The day was jam packed with family friendly activities, including live music, historical and catchment creature tours and an interactive science show. This year also marks the 150th Anniversary of Queensland’s first major water storage structure, Enoggera Reservoir. Later this month we will be celebrating this milestone with ‘Opera in the Reservoir’, an event not to be missed. You can reserve your free tickets online at brisbanetickets.com.au Did you know…? Australia has the highest incidence of melanoma in the world, with 30 Australians being diagnosed with melanoma every day, and two in three Australians being diagnosed with skin cancer by the time they are 70. Wearing sun protection is something that people usually only think about in the warmer months of the year. However, your skin can still be damaged at any time of the year if you are outdoors. So this winter, don’t forget to ‘Slip Slop Slap’ if you are recreating at one of our dams. For more information on how to stay safe in the sun visit www.cancer.org.au   If you wish to unsubscribe, please email recreationreview@seqwater.com.au with ‘unsubscribe’ in the subject line.