Champion Lakes Regatta Centre

VenuesWest commenced management of Champion Lakes Regatta Centre in 2012 on behalf of the State Government and since then more than $1.5 million has been invested into the venue to ensure both the water quality and the venue is of the highest standard and compliant with competition and safety benchmarks.

While managing a body of water can present some challenges, VenuesWest is committed to ensuring its long term investment to managing the water quality will minimise lake closures.

Previous water management actions undertaken by VenuesWest have proven successful;

• The water transfer pipeline completed in January 2015 that allows for the treatment ponds to be flushed on a more regular basis is working as expected, complementing the normal lake fill process.
• The lake discharge project that was implemented to help control the rising salinity of the lake continues.
• Run off from residential areas continues to be of a higher quality due to the drainage plan established in conjunction with Landcorp. This will be ongoing as further areas of land are released for residential purposes.
• The refurbishment of the nutrient stripping ponds continue to deliver positive results, with water running into the lake from the ponds containing less nutrients.
• A new Drainage, Nutrient, Irrigation and Water Quality Management Plan is progressing well and forms part of the review of the Ministerial Statement under which the water quality is managed.

VenuesWest’s commitment to investing in both the venue and a long term water quality solution has resulted in zero closures of the lake over the past year. As per the Ministerial Statement, we are continuing with fortnightly water quality testing at multiple locations in and around the lake.

Over the summer months, the venue hosted six triathlons including the City of Armadale Way Out Oceania and Australian Youth and Junior Triathlon Championships.  The Swimming WA Open Water Swimming State Championships were also successfully held in November 2016.

Rowing, kayaking, canoeing and dragon boating sporting groups are all continuing to use the venue.

As part of our commitment to ensure the venue continues to operate to the highest standard, investment in the venue has resulted in the completion and progression of various projects;

• New boat ramp
• Shoreline retaining wall on the sports island
• Development of the rigging area and associated civil works across the site
• Sports island irrigation modifications
• Automation of entry gates
• Introduction of marker buoys on the residential beach
• Complete course replacement of lane marker buoys and cables
• Repairs to start line infrastructure
• Fully equipped first aid room
• Replacement of the all-terrain vehicle
• Various event equipment items
• Installation of a large maintenance workshop

Furthermore, more upgrades for the venue are planned as part of the 2017/18 Strategic Asset Management plan, including:

• The provision of a number of shallow fresh water bores to recharge the lake as part of the overall salinity reduction strategy
• Shoreline restoration following damage sustained over winter
• Improved security
• New starting gates and operating system
• Public address system upgrades

Champion Lakes continues to be WA’s premier still water facility for rowing, canoeing, kayaking, dragon boating, triathlon events and other national and international water sport competitions.    

Safety will always remain VenuesWest’s priority and as required under the Ministerial Statement, VenuesWest will continue to close the lake if there is a risk to users.

For any enquires please do not hesitate to contact Graham Hush, Manager Venue Delivery and Operations at graham.hush@venueswest.wa.gov.au