Page 23 - History Presentation Tony Dell 2016

Fit-out of Dago Point, Lake Sorell cabin, Winter 1990
John O'Halloran built the bunks, Brian McCullagh did the electrical wiring (still in his halo
from breaking his neck in a car accident), Malcolm Crosse provided a gas stove and Geoff
Watson a gas fridge. A Saxon wood heater was bought from Roberts Stewart and a long-
drop/chemical toilet was installed.
The shack was completed by the end of 1992 at a cost of $15,000.00 and massive voluntary
labour from Club members. A formal opening of "The Patrons" by Barbara Fowler, our
current Patron, occurred in July 1993.
This was not the end of the story. In 2001 after the Government decided to sell Crown land
licences to shack owners, a decision had to be made whether to buy the land on which the
shack stood or to sell it. This was at a time when the lake was infested with carp and not
fishing well, so it was no easy decision.
The initial response was to buy the land, but this changed in early 2003 when the estimated
cost of $26,000.00 became known and a decision was taken not to buy and to try to sell the
shack. As time went on, it became obvious that the original estimate was inflated and in May
2004 the decision was reversed and it was again decided to purchase the land. A levy to
finance the purchase was again considered but in the end cash reserves, donations and no-
interest loans from members provided the funds.
The purchase was finalised in January 2006 at a cost of $17,062.40.
The Club also owned a Caravan for a number of years. It was purchase in July 1980 after the
block at Dago point allocated to the Club was declined, and was parked on Lewis's land at
Interlaken.

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