Last week Member for Vasse Troy Buswell MLA and Member for the South West region Barry House MLC announced the Augusta-Margaret River Shire and golf club would receive more than $260,000 for its water recycling project.

The funding will go towards the installation of grey water irrigation from Gloucester Park to the Margaret River Golf Course.

It has been a 10-year battle for the golf club to access recycled water, which started when the club tried, on its own, to negotiate water from the Gnarabup treatment plant.

Through joining forces with the shire they were able to access the $260,000 from the Community Sporting and Recreation Facilities Fund and hope to benefit from the grey water irrigation by next year.

Former club president and long-time campaigner for the water recycling project Laurie Bedford said the funding was welcome news.

“We have a very, very good golf course,” he said.

“With the water our course will be in excellent condition all year round.

“About 10,000 tourists play that course every year, and that’s not counting the ones who come here just to look at the kangaroos.

“Summer is the best time of year to play weather wise, but it is also when the course is at its worst.”

In order to complete the project, the golf club will need to raise a further $300,000.

Mr Bedford said the club was discussing ways to do this and was confident it should be able to access the funds through a bank loan.

Shire president Ray Colyer congratulated the Golf Club on their efforts to improve the golf course and reduce reliance on local aquifers for supplying water.

“Hopefully this should be the last summer that we will need to use water from the Margaret River to irrigate our sporting grounds,” he said

Director of infrastructure services Wayne Prangnell said the town now had a sustainable water supply that would grow with the population.