However, councillor Jason Hamling wants to counteract the effects of the drought on Lake Canobolas.

With large areas of the lake bed now above water, councillor Jason Hamling will ask Orange City Council to investigate measures to address silt in the water and remove weeds in the hope of attracting more people in the short term and after the drought ends. 

“It’s very low at the moment – one day, it will fill back up again so while it’s low, let’s get in and see what we can do to clean it up,” he said. 

“I’ve been in the lake before and you can feel the weeds touching your stomach as you’re swimming and I know that wouldn’t feel very good, especially for children.

“It’s got a smell to it and I’m no expert, that’s what I’m going to ask council staff.”

The sport and recreation committee chairman also thought more sand should be brought in.

“Some nice beach sand maybe, so it’s kid-friendly,” he said. 

Cr Hamling said the lake was one of the most common spots people brought friends and family to visit. 

“Some people don’t want to go and swim in a pool, they want to come out to the lake and put their inflatable boat up and go for a row, it’s just another option,” he said.

“We need to really cherish this as a tourist destination, there’s nothing better than coming out here, especially when the cafe’s open.”

Mark Pritchard, who was feeding the ducks and geese at the lake on Wednesday, said the water body had sunk to the lowest levels he had seen in 20 years.  

“The ducks seem to be going away, it’s pretty sad.”

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