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Free fitness for the people of Mooroopna

By Bree Harding

Jan 27, 2026

The Australia Day ceremony in Mooroopna doubled as an official opening for a fitness park funded by the town’s Rotary club in memory of Frank and Margaret Faulkner.

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Rotarian Laurie Fagan said while the exercise equipment in W.B. Ferrari Park had been in use for 13 months, it was time for it to be introduced formally.

The fitness park, featuring 10 stations on four posts, including three specifically for senior citizens, is the fifth in Greater Shepparton, with one at the back of Victoria Park Lake in Shepparton and others in Dookie, Toolamba and Tatura.

Mr Fagan said the impetus for the club to bring the new addition to Mooroopna was COVID-19, the floods of 2022, which severely impacted the town, and the current high cost of living.

“A lot of people in the town, in the community, have been doing it tough for a long time,” Mr Fagan said.

“Free and unrestricted access to this equipment provides a real opportunity for everybody to improve personal fitness and mental wellbeing, and ... using the equipment with others, also promotes social interaction.”

Mooroopna Rotary Club's Laurie Fagan talks about how the fitness park in W.B. Ferrari Park came to fruition. Photo by Bree Harding

Mooroopna residents Frank and Margaret Faulkner were loved and valued members of Rotary and their community.

Mr Fagan said both were heavily involved in their eight children's activities.

Five of their children — Peter, Ruth, Ian, Ken and Colin — were in attendance, along with many of their grandchildren and great grandchildren.

So it was a great turn-up for the Faulkner family to witness this simple ceremony.

Frank was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Mooroopna (chartered in 1964) and remained a member until he died.

During his 52-year membership, he held many club positions, including the presidency in 1966-67.

He was also awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship Award twice, which is the highest Rotary award that can be received.

Margaret also received a Paul Harris Fellowship Award.

“Frank was also awarded the Kiwanis Mooroopna Community Service Award in 1997, so that's certainly a major honour that he received,” Mr Fagan said.

City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali and Peter Faulkner unveil the sign at the official opening of the new fitness park in Mooroopna on Australia Day. Photo by Bree Harding

Mooroopna Australia Day event keynote speaker and Frank and Margaret’s son, Peter Faulkner, and City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali unveiled the sign at the fitness course.

City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali and councillor Anthony Brophy, and Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell test out the exercise equipment. Photo by Bree Harding

“I’m not really appropriately dressed to unveil exercise equipment, but we'll give it a go today,” remarked a suited-up Cr Sali, who enthusiastically tried the equipment after the official opening regardless.

“Shout out to the Kiwanis club and the Rotary club and the other service groups that do so much for Mooroopna, whether it's the market, the New Year's Eve festival or now unveiling this exercise equipment.”