By Tyler Wright
A new state-of-the-art solar and battery system, and new facilities, are now open at the Olinda pavilion.
Yarra Ranges Council marked the official opening of a 44kW solar array paired with a 95kWh battery, capable of providing up to a week of off-grid energy storage on Monday 20 November.
The facility is the result of a collaboration between the Olinda Hilltop Recreation Association (HRA), the council, and the Australian and state governments.
HRA Chairman Rick Wall said using the reserve in the ‘60s as a kid he could “never have dreamt” the community would have such a facility powered by the sun.
“It is absolutely extraordinary,” Mr Wall said.
“From the community point of view, it’s going to be a wonderful emergency centre.”
The showers at the pavilion have also been upgraded to create a more inclusive and modern space, with the open layout has been replaced by single cubicles and the site able to function as a ‘shower and power’ hub when required.
“The football club has upgraded the kitchen with industrial stoves, we’ve also upgraded the Wi -Fi and painted out the showers and toilets, so it’s going to be a perfect facility given that it’ll have the solar battery capable of supporting it up to a week after an emergency event,” Mr Wall said.
This upgrade has been built in response to the 2021 storm event, which highlighted the vulnerability of essential utilities during emergencies.
Mr Wall said the facility now is “chalk and cheese” compared to where locals gathered in the 2021 storm event.
“People would be able to eat, shower, all ablutions, even sleep in comfort, do some cooking. It’s just an ideal facility really for something like what we went through with the major storms,” he said.
“It’s not a place of last resort; If there is an emergency or fire emergency or otherwise people need to look at their last resort places. For example Upwey footy ground, Monbulk footy ground, down the other side from Kalorama, the last resorts are at Mount Evelyn.”
Yarra Ranges Council Deputy Mayor, Cr David Eastham, said living in the area brings with it a lot of power outages.
“We’ve all been there when the power goes out, and it feels like everything comes to a standstill,” Cr Eastham said.
“It was a wake-up call, a reminder that we need to be prepared for the unexpected. That’s why this project is so crucial. It’s not just about having lights on during a blackout; it’s about creating a safe space for our community.”
Cr Eastham said the local association, composed of dedicated sporting and community members, played an instrumental role in advocating for and supporting the construction process.
“This is the latest project where our Government counterparts have provided funding for solar and battery systems,” he said.
“The end result is lower running costs, local hubs that can be activated in an emergency, and our community living a bit lighter on the earth.”
“I’d like to thank the Australian and State Governments for this crucial funding, the local tradies who installed this system, and our clubs for their patience and support through this process. It’s a place I’m very proud we have locally.”
Mr Wall said the facility has come from a “pretty small background” to something “absolutely marvellous” for the community.
“Hilltop is compiling a manual on how to run the place in time of emergency, so whoever gets there in case we can’t get there, will know how to operate the solar, operate the kitchen, operate everything,” he said.
