Part 1: Walking with dinosaurs at Lake Fred Tritton

Nearly 100 million years after the Cretaceous Inland Sea of Central Australia receded into the mists of time, the township of Richmond in North-West Queensland is again basking in the sun on the banks of an inland lake.

An inviting oasis replaces arid, broken gullies in north-western Queensland.

Lake Fred Tritton, named after the shire's former mayor of 30 years (1962-1992), was created at a cost of nearly $1 million, and now provides the town's 780 residents with a sandy beach, children's water park, exercise station, walking track, amenities, boat ramp, barbeque facilities and gardens.

These days water sports are encouraged, safe from the jaws of the prehistoric predators whose fossilised remains now hold centre stage in the local museum.

Kronosaurus Korner revisits a time when huge marine reptiles swam in local waters.

Richmond Mayor John Wharton said the lake had transformed the community's leisure options with ready access to popular sport and recreation activities such as swimming, canoeing, sailing, wind surfing, skiing and fishing.

"People are out there every day.  They're having fun, losing weight and getting fit.  Our local doctor reckons it's the best thing that's ever happened," Cr Wharton said.

Promoting sport and active recreation.

"The track around the lake is the centrepiece of our Just Walk It Program and biennial Fossil Festival.  We're also holding an annual aquathon with a swim-run-swim.

"At night, families walk around the lake under the lights and enjoy the cool evening breeze off the water.  It's really improved our quality of life.

"We've also stocked the lake with native bream, sleepy cod, barramundi and sooty grunter.  The Department of Primary Industries has already held a fishing clinic for local school children."

Fun water park allows younger children to get active safely.

Cr Wharton said many Richmond residents had bought boats and jet-skis to make the most of their new lake, particularly on weekends.

"We also get more than 20,000 visitors each year and it's a real eye-opener for them.  The last thing they expect to find out here is a lake," he said.

"Our local caravan park now has a million-dollar view and the tourists love it.  It's also great for our local wildlife, particularly native birds.

"Before we built the lake, the area was hardly used by anyone because it was an eroding landscape made up of broken gullies."

Exercise station for local residents and visitors.

Cr Wharton said it would not have been possible to undertake the project without the Queensland Government's support.

Richmond Shire Council received a grant of $350,500 under the Major Facilities Program. A further $7,800 was provided by that year under the Local Government Development Program (now known as the Local Sport and Recreation Program).

"Council put up the rest of the money and we finished the excavation work just before Christmas in 2002.  Since then we've been busy developing the facilities, putting in the lighting and establishing the gardens," Cr Wharton said.

"The work was all done by local contractors, so the community got the full benefit of the Government grant.  Every dollar stayed in town.

"Sport and Recreation Queensland was terrific.  The regional staff were great to work with and really helped us smooth the way with other departments."

Lake Fred Tritton was officially opened on 30 April 2004.

Celebrating the partnership between State and Local Government.

In November, the Richmond Shire Council won the national 'Best Overall Project' and 'Recreation Infrastructure Project' in the 2004 Heart Foundation Kellogg Local Government Awards.  It had previously won the Queensland awards in September, but Cr Wharton said the big winners were the people of Richmond.

"We didn't set out to win any awards and the $10,000 prize money will be used to further improve the lifestyle and wellbeing of our residents," he said.

Richmond is among a long and growing list of Queensland communities to benefit from the Beattie Government's annual allocation of more than $50 million towards sport and recreation facilities and initiatives.

Administered by the Department, the Government's sport and recreation funding programs aim to help more Queenslanders become physically active, regardless of where they live.

The Major Facilities Program provides eligible organisations with financial assistance of up to 50 percent of the total cost for approved projects such as building, extending or upgrading large-scale sport and recreation facilities, to a maximum of $1 million.

The Local Sport and Recreation Program provides councils with financial assistance of up to 90 percent for recreation planning, participation programs and projects like cycleways, walkways and walking trails, to a maximum of $180,000.

Read more about how the Richmond Shire Council turned its vision into a reality.

Part 1: Walking with dinosaurs at Lake Fred Tritton

Nearly 100 million years after the Cretaceous Inland Sea of Central Australia receded into the mists of time, the township of Richmond in North-West Queensland is again basking in the sun on the banks of an inland lake.

An inviting oasis replaces arid, broken gullies in north-western Queensland.

Lake Fred Tritton, named after the shire's former mayor of 30 years (1962-1992), was created at a cost of nearly $1 million, and now provides the town's 780 residents with a sandy beach, children's water park, exercise station, walking track, amenities, boat ramp, barbeque facilities and gardens.

These days water sports are encouraged, safe from the jaws of the prehistoric predators whose fossilised remains now hold centre stage in the local museum.

Kronosaurus Korner revisits a time when huge marine reptiles swam in local waters.

Richmond Mayor John Wharton said the lake had transformed the community's leisure options with ready access to popular sport and recreation activities such as swimming, canoeing, sailing, wind surfing, skiing and fishing.

"People are out there every day.  They're having fun, losing weight and getting fit.  Our local doctor reckons it's the best thing that's ever happened," Cr Wharton said.

Promoting sport and active recreation.

"The track around the lake is the centrepiece of our Just Walk It Program and biennial Fossil Festival.  We're also holding an annual aquathon with a swim-run-swim.

"At night, families walk around the lake under the lights and enjoy the cool evening breeze off the water.  It's really improved our quality of life.

"We've also stocked the lake with native bream, sleepy cod, barramundi and sooty grunter.  The Department of Primary Industries has already held a fishing clinic for local school children."

Fun water park allows younger children to get active safely.

Cr Wharton said many Richmond residents had bought boats and jet-skis to make the most of their new lake, particularly on weekends.

"We also get more than 20,000 visitors each year and it's a real eye-opener for them.  The last thing they expect to find out here is a lake," he said.

"Our local caravan park now has a million-dollar view and the tourists love it.  It's also great for our local wildlife, particularly native birds.

"Before we built the lake, the area was hardly used by anyone because it was an eroding landscape made up of broken gullies."

Exercise station for local residents and visitors.

Cr Wharton said it would not have been possible to undertake the project without the Queensland Government's support.

Richmond Shire Council received a grant of $350,500 under the Major Facilities Program. A further $7,800 was provided by that year under the Local Government Development Program (now known as the Local Sport and Recreation Program).

"Council put up the rest of the money and we finished the excavation work just before Christmas in 2002.  Since then we've been busy developing the facilities, putting in the lighting and establishing the gardens," Cr Wharton said.

"The work was all done by local contractors, so the community got the full benefit of the Government grant.  Every dollar stayed in town.

"Sport and Recreation Queensland was terrific.  The regional staff were great to work with and really helped us smooth the way with other departments."

Lake Fred Tritton was officially opened on 30 April 2004.

Celebrating the partnership between State and Local Government.

In November, the Richmond Shire Council won the national 'Best Overall Project' and 'Recreation Infrastructure Project' in the 2004 Heart Foundation Kellogg Local Government Awards.  It had previously won the Queensland awards in September, but Cr Wharton said the big winners were the people of Richmond.

"We didn't set out to win any awards and the $10,000 prize money will be used to further improve the lifestyle and wellbeing of our residents," he said.

Richmond is among a long and growing list of Queensland communities to benefit from the Beattie Government's annual allocation of more than $50 million towards sport and recreation facilities and initiatives.

Administered by the Department, the Government's sport and recreation funding programs aim to help more Queenslanders become physically active, regardless of where they live.

The Major Facilities Program provides eligible organisations with financial assistance of up to 50 percent of the total cost for approved projects such as building, extending or upgrading large-scale sport and recreation facilities, to a maximum of $1 million.

The Local Sport and Recreation Program provides councils with financial assistance of up to 90 percent for recreation planning, participation programs and projects like cycleways, walkways and walking trails, to a maximum of $180,000.

Read more about how the Richmond Shire Council turned its vision into a reality.