The Lake Eppalock Coast guard have been rescuing, assisting, and educating visitors to Lake Eppalock since 1986, but it has taken almost a decade for rescue equipment to be upgraded.
Today's Victorian Budget will deliver a refurbished rescue craft costing more than $100,000, and the 18 volunteers on call 24-7 from Bendigo and Heathcote could not be happier.
Deputy Commodore Colin Ritchens from the Lake Eppalock Coast Guard said the funding would make a huge difference to how the flotilla can help.
"With the new equipment coming it will be much easier and safer for the public," he said.
Besides assisting with rescues, broken-down boats, and serious water accidents, the flotilla is also a Country Fire Authority brigade.
"We're required to carry fire pumps to attend any of the call-outs from the CFA, which could be boat fires, assist and the transfer of any CFA members to different shore lines, or the evacuation of the population around the coast line of Lake Eppalock," Mr Ritchens said.
Throughout the year the popularity of the lake as a holiday and recreation spot ebbs and flows, based on water releases into the lake.
"The higher the water levels at Lake Eppalock the more people that come up and use it for skiing and water activities," Mr Ritchens said.
During summer it is always busy for volunteers.
"We generally average two or three boat fires and the amount of boat call-outs just coming to assist people can vary," he said.
For serious accidents or search and rescues, we have at least four or five each year. That can go up and down from that number quite easily."
The volunteer brigade is also looking forward to an upgrade of its headquarters in nearby Axedale.
"It is an old CFA shed. It is just basically a holding shed where we can store the vessel, but it hasn't got any facilities such as showers, a toilet, or offices," he said.
The flotilla hopes the upgrade to the base will attract more volunteers.
"Now, when the members go out and come back, they will be able to have a shower, and won't have to walk two or three hundred metres away to a public toilet," Mr Ritchens said.
"We can do our own education programs and our own training in the facility."
He said the overall changes will also mean a shift in attitude in the volunteer organisation.
"Now we will be able to promote with pride what we do," he said.
