Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last weekend, I was pleased to attend the Lilydale Croquet Club official season launch for the coming summer season. It was the first opportunity for the club to launch the season since 2019. I was warmly welcomed by club president John Thomson, club secretary Craig McCracken and all the members. We enjoyed the sunshine while the Australian flag was raised over the pavilion and participated in the running of the hoops. I was pleased to have Victorian state MP Bridget Vallance join me in officially declaring the season open.

Having never played croquet before, I was given expert coaching and enjoyed the opportunity to play with club members Glenn, Patrick, Dawn and Wendy. I enjoyed myself so much I found myself staying for lunch and playing a second game. The popularity and membership of the Lilydale Croquet Club had been enjoying steady growth before COVID hit, and they are now eager to bring the sport to the wider Lilydale community. There are exciting plans to build new clubrooms and a second playing court, and I'm looking forward to working with John and Craig to see this achieved.

As I've said before in this House, sporting clubs hold a significant place in our local community in Casey. They provide the opportunity for friendships and fitness, which are incredibly important to both the mental health and the physical health of all of us. I was pleased to join the Lilydale Croquet Club and I look forward to supporting all sporting clubs in Casey.