Next month, Bacchus Marsh’s community parkrun at Peppertree Park will celebrate its 250th event, but participants are still without access to a nearby toilet.
To highlight the issue, runners and community members will gather at 7.45am on Saturday 7 February, bringing rolls of toilet paper as part of a campaign calling for funding for a new toilet facility to be considered in Moorabool council’s 2026 budget.
Costings have been completed for a standard public toilet at the reserve, but parkrun participant Sarah Guy thinks an all-accessible changing places facility is more appropriate.
“The closest toilet is an eight minute walk away at best, and it requires walking off the parkrun track,” she said.
“There’s already been costings completed for a toilet, but our campaign is about pushing council to add it to this year’s budget.
“If you’re going to chuck a toilet there, it’s gonna cost a bit of coin, so it should be accessible to all members of the community.”
Changing Places facilities are larger than standard accessible toilets, with extra features and more space to meet the needs of people with a disability, as well as their carers.
“The parkrun is a five kilometre run, walk, or roll – anyone and everyone can take part” Mrs Guy explained.
“It’s growing in popularity, and the current toilet isn’t in a particularly handy location.”
Growing parkrun participation, general use of the walking track, and visitors passing through the town on a regular basis has opened up the conversation for a need for a new facility at the park.
“The park is getting used more and more often – for the parkrun and as a place that people stop in when travelling through town,” Mrs Guy said.
Regular park runner and Moorabool mayor Steve Venditti-Taylor is backing the calls for facilities at the park.
“I’ve done about 52 parkruns and I’m one hundred per cent behind it myself,” he said.
“We’re not just looking at the toilet, we’ve got plans for upgrades to barbecues and other things, as well.
“We’ve got about 1000 people using it every week, so when it comes to a toilet, it’s a no-brainer.”
