Recreational boating buoys Lake Learmonth

Recreational boating activity returned to Lake Learmonth with warmer weather at the weekend, for the first time since January 2013. 

The lake was reopened on Monday 28 November after the City of Ballarat completed a safety audit, including painting beacons and installing access lane buoys and signs across the lake precinct. 

City of Ballarat Councillor Daniel Moloney said it is great to see the community once again enjoy water-skiing, wakeboarding, jet skis, canoeing, fishing and wind powered vessels at Lake Learmonth. 

“Like a number of lakes in Victoria, due to above average rainfall, Lake Learmonth has reached a suitable depth for recreational boating,” he said. 

“This is an exciting development for the Learmonth community and the entire municipality.  

“It is fantastic to see community members and visitors once again enjoy the lake through recreational boating.” 

As the Committee of Management for Lake Learmonth, the City of Ballarat controls the opening and closing of the Morton’s Cutting in accordance with its Take and Use Licence under Section 51 of the Water Act 1989.   

Morton’s Cutting closed on Wednesday 30 November as per the licensing conditions. The City of Ballarat will continue to liaise with key stakeholders regarding water supply to Lake Learmonth.  

The licence, for up to 5,000 megalitres per year, was recently extended to 2030 by licensing authority Goulburn-Murray Water.  

The licence issued to the City of Ballarat is a non-standard agreement, which already favours flows to Lake Learmonth, including a longer than normal diversion period.  

Morton’s Cutting opens on 1 May and closes on 30 November each year. It is the longest seasonal diversion of water and one of the largest volume diversions in northern Victoria. 

The licence diverts water to Lake Learmonth, including small flows, away from its natural catchment of Coghill’s Creek. 

Vegetation is cleared and weeds removed in February and April before the cutting is opened to ensure clear water flow.   

Morton's Cutting is monitored and maintained regularly throughout the year and is checked before and after significant rain events.