December Report

Dear Members

At this busy time of year, here is a quick dot point report updating you with the latest from ABCV.

We wish you a safe and festive season and look forward to continuing to work together in 2025.

Happy Birthday wishes to our special member Val Flitton who is turning 100 on the weekend. What a wonderful milestone for an amazing lady.

* 69 McLachlan St contract was signed in July by Colac Otway Shire (COS) and the Apollo Bay Community Charitable Trust. The transfer is still awaiting settlement as both parties work through some tax issues that should be resolved in the new year.

* Bendigo Bank Community Funds. We are most grateful to our wonderful Community Bank here in Apollo Bay for their generous contribution to the project for refurbishing the old Preschool building at 69 McLachlan Street. Many thanks to the Board, you do an amazing job.

* Tiny Towns Round 2 Grant Funding: sought for the major refurbishment of the old Preschool building at 69 McLachlan Street to accommodate its ongoing use by the community, will be announced in March 2025.  

Before & After school childcare & holiday program: Great Ocean Road Health have received responses to the survey that reveal the need for After School Care and for Holiday Programs. Works continue to pursue the options on how this can be delivered.

Members’ Skills Register: we have now received some thirty-three responses and would like to build this database so please go to https://forms.gle/48qEWAzFTLsorwyHA  or go to the website and hover over the ‘Join Us’ tab at the top to be directed to this link.

* Paradise Picnic Reserve works are ongoing. It is pleasing to see the improvements, some maintenance required following the big rains before the major tourist time.  

* Affordable Housing: ABCV is working to become more informed about possible ways of creating affordable housing in rural and remote towns via online presentations to be held in January. 

* Richard Riordan has been invited to an engagement session with ABCV next week, where we hope to discuss major ongoing issues for the community.

* Next Colac Otway Shire engagement meeting: Postponed until January as new Councillors are busy with inductions.

Great Ocean Road Communities Network (GORCN) AGM was held in Apollo Bay on Saturday 5 November providing representatives from community groups along the coast to discuss issues in common.

New Councillors elected. Congratulations to Mayor Jason Schram, Deputy Mayor Phil Howard, Chris Potter, Mick McCrickard, Zoe Hudgell and Chrissy De Deugd. It is pleasing to see two Apollo Bay based candidates were successful and we look forward to working with the new Councillors.

New Memberships Thank you to all those who have submitted membership applications. Currently, we have over 330 members and growing. To join, go to www.abcvoice.com.au and click ‘Join Us’.

GORCAPA’s Regional Trail Strategy – ABCV made a submission, thanks to Graham Costin.

* GORCAPA is seeking input on its Regional Coastal Adaptation Plan – go to https://haveyoursay.greatoceanroadauthority.vic.gov.au/lookingforward  ‘Help Shape Our Resilient Coast’ – you can attend in person community events and/or complete the online survey (full/express).

* Marengo ramp replacement – GORCAPA is replacing the Marengo beach access ramp to improve safety and accessibility for users.

Go to https://haveyoursay.greatoceanroadauthority.vic.gov.au/marengo-ramp for more information and provide input.

* Our last engagement meeting with GORCAPA for 2024 will be held this week online* Otway Forum has now folded and we are grateful for the wind-up funds that were transferred to ABCV

* Marengo Toilets – we continue to pursue this item with GORCAPA as a real need for the community, thanks to Beth McLoughlin for her work on this.

* Colac Otway Shire seeks your input re sport and recreation via a survey. The data will inform Council’s future strategic planning and training opportunities. Complete the survey by 16 December here: https://www.colacotway.vic.gov.au/Community-Consultations/2024-Sport-and-Recreation-Survey

Jane Gross

President

October Update

* 69 McLachlan St transfer is awaiting settlement even though the contract was signed in July by Colac Otway Shire (COS) and the Apollo Bay Community Charitable Trust. There have been some tax issues that hopefully will be sorted out by the end of the month.

*Apollo Bay News funds: We are most grateful to the News-sheet for providing the much needed emergency funds to assist in the settlement of 69 McLachlan Street. Many thanks to the Apollo Bay News committee.

* Bendigo Bank Community Funding and Tiny Towns Round 2 Grant Funding: are currently being sought by ABCV to refurbish the old Preschool at 69 McLachlan Street to accommodate its ongoing use by the community.  Many thanks to Chris Straw who has created some conceptual design for the wet area (toilets etc.) as part of the revised submission.

* Before & After school childcare and holiday program: We have been working with Great Ocean Road Health and other bodies to write a survey which is now being distributed to the community. This is a first step to assess the exact level of need.

*Members’ Skills Register: We have received twenty-eight responses and would like to build this database so please go to https://forms.gle/48qEWAzFTLsorwyHA  or go to the website and hover over the ‘Join Us’ tab at the top to be directed to this link.

* BSF Proposal: The 23rd July Supreme Court hearing did not allow BSF to join GORCAPA, as the new port manager to the case. And GORCAPA has requested an independent assessment of the harbour capacity for large vessels.

* Paradise Picnic Reserve Jarrod Woff (COS) is doing a great job of managing the project and much has been achieved to date. Check out the new works, soon to be completed. 

* Affordable Housing: ABCV is working to become more informed about possible ways of creating affordable housing in rural and remote towns via online presentations. 

* CitiPower, Powercor and United Energy roundtable series: to shape

strategy for the next 5 years was attended by Graham Hill on behalf of ABCV.

* Richard Riordan has been invited to an engagement session with ABCV later in the year.

* ABCV AGM report was sent to members immediately after the meeting.

* Next COS engagement meeting: Postponed until new council and mayor are elected.

* Marine Science Centre and Fossils Discovery, Apollo Bay: Thank you to Tim Godfrey for his knowledge and assistance to seek support from Deakin University and GORCAPA for this initiative.

* Great Ocean Road Communities Network (GORCN) AGM was held in Apollo Bay on Saturday 5 October. GORCN has membership from twenty community group representatives from along the Great Ocean Road from Torquay to Port Campbell. Meetings through the year are online but once a year they meet in person at an ‘AGM’. We hosted it this year to discuss issues shared by all communities alongside the challenges of increasing tourism and environmental changes.

* Council Candidates Forum – ABCV along with SOS hosted the Forum in Apollo Bay on Sunday 6th October. Eleven of the eighteen candidates attended and spoke. There were three apologies and four of the candidates failed to respond to our invitation. Thank you to all who attended and to Sally Cannon who did a sterling job as Moderator. Unfortunately, our attempt to record the session was unsuccessful. Remember voting is by postal vote only and must be submitted by last post on 25th Oct. We are fortunate to have four candidates standing from Apollo Bay: in Mick Fischer, Phil Howard, Peter Byrnes and Chrissy De Deugd.  

* GORCAPA Community Reference Group (CRG) for the new Harbour Redevelopment Plan: Graham Hill is representing ABCV and the Golf Club on this newly formed committee.

* New Memberships Thank you to all those who have submitted membership applications. Currently, we have over 330 members and growing.

* Finally, Southern Otways Sustainable (SOS) is once again partnering with Geelong Sustainability to take the hard work out of going electric with the electric homes program. Head to https://electrichomes.com.au/ to find out more. Applications and expressions of interest are open now, closing October 30. Jane Gross

President

July Update

Breaking News Colac Otway Shire. On Wednesday the Minister for Local Government appointed Christine Ferguson as municipal monitor to Colac Otway Shire from now until 31 January 2025. The Chief Municipal Inspector recommended the Minister exercise her powers under the Local Government Act, based on reports of issues relating to the conduct of councillors and a lack of adherence to governance rules.

Breaking News GORCAPA. On Monday DEECA called for comment on proposed visitor parking fees for GORCAPA managed land; on Wednesday the State government denied its plans and took down the website that was seeking public consultation. Following recent meetings with Colac Otway Shire and GORCAPA, prior to this week, we have the following to report.

Colac Otway Shire  Paradise Picnic Reserve improvements to start very soon

Hoarding signs for vacant blocks in main street require consent from owner

Housing — Homes Vic will be building a number of units in Colac. Apollo Bay is apparently on their radar but no announcement yet as to where the land will be purchased nor for how many units.

Childcare is an ongoing discussion.

Port Transfer is now managed by GORCAPA from 1 July 2024.

Tip vouchers — Surf Coast Shire includes tipping vouchers with its Rate notices & mails out green-waste vouches at the end of Spring, ABCV are asking COS do the same.

Next Council meeting is in Apollo Bay Wednesday 24 July 2024 at the Bowls Club 4pm.

GORCAPA — BSF Proposal for a livestock freight service between King Island and Apollo Bay. Court case is rescheduled for 23 July.

Whale burial— DEECA response was in line with State emergency plan response policy. GORCAPA to look into signage at the site warning of increased shark sightings.

Shark sightings— please share with GORCAPA to info@greatoceanroadauthority.vic.gov.au and via the Dorsal app, found at www.dorsalwatch.com  

Marengo toilet — permanent wayfinding signs to point to the caravan park toilets are going in soon.

Browns Creek fossils — concern they are not being protected. GORCAPA is developing  procedure. If anyone knows of any removal or threat of removal to contact the Office of the Conservation Regulator ASAP via https://www.vic.gov.au/conservation-regulator

Mother's Beach erosion is being monitored by drone and ad hoc visually.

Recreation Reserve works & general clean-up of area. Despite recent media, the Rec Reserve upgrades will continue, in-fact works will be commencing on Monday and the reserve will be open again in time to ensure summer patronage. GORCAPA to provide a written update of timeline, works and grant outcomes to ABCV and to Apollo Bay News.  

Lighthouse — mercury vapour closure. A second round of cleaning is needed and there is no set re-opening date at this stage.

Lightstation Project — attracted a positive response to the recent engagement, with close to 100 online survey responses and several phone calls and emails. 

Skenes Creek campground stairs — have been closed since early 2023.  GORCAPA to work with team to provide feedback in writing to the Skenes Creek Association, ABCV and Apollo Bay News Sheet; engagement will occur in the coming weeks.

Trafalgar Street carpark rubbish bin. GORCAPA working with COS to identify a suitable site.

Recent organisation review & structure changes — include creation of a new Coastal Operations Manager role to oversee the whole GOR area that GORCAPA manages. Caleb Hurrell was successful in recruitment to this role. A new supervisor will be recruited and in place in the coming months and become a key local contact for the Apollo Bay community.

Regional Coastal Adaptation Plan — developed by GORCAPA was presented to the ABCV committee and will be presented to the wider community in the coming months.

ABCV Members Skills. Thank you to members who have completed the short questionnaire. If you haven’t already done so, please click the following link and complete by Sunday 28 July 2024.    https://forms.gle/48qEWAzFTLsorwyHA 

ABCV AGM date set for Sunday 8th September 2pm – 3pm venue TBC.

New Memberships. Thank you to all those who have submitted membership applications. Currently, we have over 330 members and growing.