General News
22 May, 2025
Tatyoon gets the green light
TATYOON footballers and cricketers can officially lace up and take to a top-class surface, with the Tatyoon Recreation Reserve oval receiving its long-awaited green light after a major upgrade.
Member for Western Victoria, Jacinta Ermacora, joined representatives from Ararat Rural City Council and the Tatyoon Hawks last week to mark the completion of works funded through a $250,000 investment from the Country Football and Netball Program, a partnership with the AFL, AFL Victoria and Netball Victoria.
The Tatyoon oval is the heartbeat of the local community, serving as a home ground for junior and senior football and cricket teams and is a social hub for over 200 players and community members year-round.
The project saw the installation of subsurface irrigation, drainage systems, and a durable all-weather grass surface, aimed at reducing maintenance and boosting year-round usability.
Craig Drum, President of the Recreation Reserve, spoke on behalf of Rob McKay, who has long maintained the oval and helped oversee the transformation and recognised the importance of the local grounds.
“This oval to our young juniors is our MCG, where they try to emulate their AFL heroes. It's more of a fortress for our senior team,” he said.
However, the upgrade wasn't without its challenges.
Drought conditions created a major obstacle, with insufficient water in the local reservoir forcing delays and a delicate watering regime to establish the turf.
“For our local farmers, it's a green oasis, presently, the only green paddock in the region. We even thought of sneaking a mob of sheep on it for a quick graze,” Mr Drum said.
Yet concerns linger, with the ongoing drought placing the newly revitalised oval at risk.
Mr Drum stressed the need for progress on the East Grampians Rural Pipeline Project, particularly to extend the pipeline into zones four and five.
“It’d be a pity to see it dry after all the effort we’ve gone to,” he said.
With the ongoing water issues steps were made to ensure that the 2025 football season would still go ahead as planned.
“We had to actually change the watering pattern. It’s taken longer to fully establish because we had to put less water on it,” Mr Drum explained.
Beyond sport, the oval plays a crucial role in community life. Cr Peter Joyce described the reserve as the ‘hub of Tatyoon’.
“It’s where the community meets, where they eat dinner together,” he said.
“When you look at this community, every role, every job here, no one gets paid, everyone’s a volunteer. It’s absolutely amazing.”
The Victorian Government praised the collaboration behind the upgrade, with Jacinta Ermacora MP acknowledging Ararat Rural City Council for its $83,500 financial contribution and an additional $41,500 in-kind support.
“This really was a team effort and truly shows what can be achieved when people come together,” she said.
“Grassroots clubs are the beating heart of regional communities like Tatyoon, they deserve modern facilities that we can be proud of. The new oval upgrades provide a real incentive for the Hawks to ramp up training, development and to host the big games and for locals to join in the fun,” Ms Ermacora said.