Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre has exceeded expectations following its first full year of operation, according to the Mount Gambier City Council.


Wulanda’s first annual report detailed a $2.7m income and running expenses of $3.9m, resulting in a $1.2m deficit.


Mount Gambier City Mayor Lynette Martin was full of praise when commenting on the report tabled at council’s September monthly meeting.


“The report provided an update on operations, financial performance and costs associated with the centre following a full financial year of operation,” Mayor Martin said.


“I know many in our community are keen to gain an understanding of the operating costs of Wulanda.


“Wulanda has exceeded expectations for attendance and membership during the 2023-24 financial year with 167,991 direct attendances and 1944 memberships and a total income of $2.7m.


“We can report a gross operating deficit of $1.23m for the 2023-24 financial year. The report provides other costs to run the centre including depreciation and interest.


“As with any new facility, you can only predict the cost to operate the venue. It’s only after an initial period of operating that you have figured to benchmark against.”


Mayor Martin compared Wulanda’s running costs to those of the former Mount Gambier Aquatic Centre.


“The annual equivalent cost to run the former aquatic centre is estimated to be around a $740,000,” she said.


“Remembering that facility opened in mid-October until the end of March annually and consisted of two outdoor pools.


“What we have now is vastly different, an amazing facility open seven days a week, 12 months of the year with aquatic and health offerings, six courts, community spaces, conference and meetings rooms and a creche.


“Since opening, it has established itself as a venue offering a diverse range of facilities to support community wellbeing through sport and recreation.


“It also provides an entertainment and conference venue and has held so many events in its first year already.


“I believe it’s really gaining a reputation for its ability to host a whole range of events from small to large.


“It has accommodated sports that were previously unable to be played in Mount Gambier and in the Limestone Coast region.


“Wulanda is truly an outstanding multi-purpose facility which will serve our community for generations to come, providing a place for everyone in our community and bringing economic benefit as it attracts people to our city and region.”


Chief executive Sarah Philpott said Wulanda had “more than met its brief” with key performance indicators being beaten.


“We originally had that target of 120,000 people direct attendances, and have completely knocked that out of the park with nearly 168,000 attendances,” she said.


Ms Philpott said some teething issues meant the deficit was larger than originally estimated, however council had worked with centre management, Belgravia Leisure, to bring costs down.


“The unexpected thing in last year’s budget was the electricity costs,” she said.


“We’d seen them have an impact for the couple of months we’d been operating before the financial year, so we did have to increase that anticipated deficit position, but compared to where we originally thought it would be, it’s about ballpark.


“Over the course of that 12 months, we did improve the position. We have a new electricity contract, for instance, and have changed some ways of operating.”


Into the future Ms Philpott expected a deficit to remain around the $1m mark.


“For the coming year, we have predicted a deficit position of $1.3m so again, in the same ballpark,” she said.


“Originally as we were doing the budget we thought it would be $1.4m but it’s already gone down to $1.3m.


“I think it will continue to operate in a deficit position because it is providing that service, particularly aquatics which are very costly to run, but the community wants them.


“To have this fantastic facility in our community is a real drawcard and I think we’re very fortunate to have it.”


Elected members also praised the report and the uptake of the facility from the community.


“The figures are incredibly good with how much we have saved, recognising the issue we had with electricity,” said Cr Paul Jenner, who was also pleased with the number of youth enrolled in swimming lessons.


Cr Frank Morello reiterated comments made by Mayor Martin and Cr Jenner.


“Given the stats, to me it shows that people are connected to Wulanda and embracing the facility,” he said.


“A year ago this was not even possible. If you have an aspiration, we now have the facilities and the competitions to help achieve their goals, which is fantastic.


“Yes we have a debt, but it’s being managed.


“At the end of the day, we are here to provide a service to the community.”


Mayor Martin encouraged everyone to read the detailed report in council’s agenda to better understand the operating costs of Wulanda.