Mernda aquatics and leisure facility

The City of Whittlesea is seeking co-investment of $40 million to support the delivery of an aquatics and leisure facility in Mernda, including:

• a 25m pool, warm-water pool, and learn-to-swim pool
• leisure play area, spa, sauna, and steam rooms
• fitness rooms and a full-scale gym. 

The City of Whittlesea has a clear vision to support our growing community by addressing critical gaps in access to health, recreation and water safety facilities.

According to the 2023 Victorian Population Health Survey, 66 per cent of our residents do not meet the World Health Organisation’s recommended physical activity guidelines.

The City of Whittlesea’s poorer health outcomes create a strong need for accessible recreation infrastructure, with overweight and obesity rates higher than the Victorian average (58 per cent and 54 per cent, respectively) and elevated rates of psychological distress, hypertension and Type 2 diabetes compared to Victorian averages.

Long commuting patterns contribute to sedentary lifestyles, with more than 45 per cent of Mernda residents travelling 60 minutes or more each day compared with approximately 34 per cent across the municipality.

Demand for aquatic, wellbeing and recreation services for older residents is expected to increase significantly, with Mernda’s population aged 50 years and over forecast to grow by 63 per cent (an additional 3,558 residents) by 2041.

Victoria’s infrastructure strategy 2025–2055 identifies that established and inner metropolitan local government areas have one aquatic centre for every 58,000 people. The City of Whittlesea has more than 89,000 residents per public pool. 

The strategy also recommends the Victorian Government should contribute at least a third of the cost to building or expanding core parts of the facilities, such as pools. Local and Australian governments should cover the rest.

For more information, visit our aquatic and leisure facility in Mernda page.