Lake Weeroona

Lake Weeroona is an extremely popular park located on Napier Street, Bendigo. It is loved for it's walking path, playspace, rowing activities, heritage pavilions and local flora and fauna. It is also a great place to stop and take a break when passing through Bendigo.

In 1873, Mayor Duggall McDougall had the vision to turn this dusty old mining site into an ornamental lake and reserve. The simple message was 'get Guilfoyle'. In 1878 William Guilfoyle, director of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens, was commissioned to design the 'Nolan Street Reserve'. His vision was for a place of tranquillity and respite set around a large lake. Many of Guilfoyle's original landscaping elements remain visible today. Restoring this lost Guilfoyle landscape is a work in progress.

Rowing regatta regulations

City of Greater Bendigo as the declared waterway manager for Lake Weeroona, makes the following declaration under section 203(3) of the Marine Safety Act 2010 (Vic).

For the purposes of boating activity conducted by Rowing Victoria, persons and vessels involved in the 2023 Bendigo Sprint Regatta are exempt from the following requirements:

State Rules made under the Marine Act 1988:

• Clause 2(a) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of a person in the water
• Clause 2(c) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of another vessel
• Clause 3(a) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of the water’s edge
• Clause 3(b) – must not exceed 5 knots within 50 metres of a fixed or floating structure

Waterway Rules made under the Marine Safety Act 2010 / Marine Act 1988:

• Clause 48.1 of Schedule 48 – whole of the waters of Lake Weeroona are prohibited to all vessels except racing shells and pedal boats

Subject to the conditions detailed below:

• Masters of rescue vessels are only exempt from item 1 to 4 when undertaking a rescue operation to retrieve persons in distress, provide for their initial medical or other needs and deliver them to a place of safety and item 5 for the duration of the event. 
• Masters of competing vessels are only exempt from items 1 to 4 for the duration of the events. 
• Masters of marshal/umpire vessels are only exempt from items 1 to 4 when following competing vessels in a race or at the conclusion of a race when returning to the start line for the next race and must not exceed the speed of a competing rowing vessel and item 5 for the duration of the event. 
• Occupants of powered vessels used in conjunction with the event must wear a personal flotation device at all times. 
• The event is operating under the auspices of Rowing Victoria, including the Rowing Victoria Safety Management Plan, which meets the criteria of Clause 3 of the Exemption Notice made under the Marine Regulations 1999 in respect of the exemption for rowing vessels to not carry or wear a personal flotation device.
• The exemptions apply from 6:00am to 5:00pm on Saturday 21 October 2023 within the exclusion zone waters - the whole of Lake Weeroona.
• The exemptions apply provided the stated safety controls and undertakings detailed in the application form and associated documentation are adhered to.