The news comes as the central Victorian region is set for a scorching week, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting a top of 42 for Bendigo on Saturday and 39 in Castlemaine. 

The Mount Alexander Shire Council resolved to develop a year-round leisure centre with a 25-metre indoor heated pool, warm water exercise pool, learn-to-swim pool, a gym, exercise room, café, office and crèche at a council meeting in late November. 

Council is expected to spend almost $10 million on the project and is relying on securing an additional $7.4 million in government funding.

Council have said the redevelopment is long overdue. 

The current outdoor pool is more than 60 years old and council claims it is leaking badly.

It uses roughly nine times its volume in water every season, at a cost of more than $40,000 each year. 

The decision on the revised pool proposal was reached after a failed council bid in 2012 to build a $15 million aquatic centre at Western Reserve was rejected by the majority of Castlemaine residents.