Wednesday, 19 February 2020

Point Grey precinct, Lorne

Mr RIORDAN (Polwarth) (19:05): (1890) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. The action I seek from the minister is for her to direct the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee to respect the growing wishes of the Lorne and Great Ocean Road community to preserve the history of the Point Grey precinct in Lorne, abandon its lavish redevelopment plans of the precinct and allow the history of the point to be preserved with a more modest, functional and historical refurbishment of the existing buildings that reflect the history of that area.

There are now well over 1000 signatures to a petition calling on this Andrews government to stop the demolition of the original fishermen’s co-op that is currently occupied by the popular and well-known Lorne Pier restaurant. The hive of activity that is the Lorne angling club acts as a home away from home for locals and visitors alike, who make up what is a popular and unique precinct in and around Lorne, which is otherwise a highly developed landscape. It is one the last places left that reflects the old Lorne and is much valued by the many visitors and residents to the area.

The government is currently reviewing the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee through potentially new legislation that would see carriage of the further development of this area. However, it is becoming increasingly obvious after nearly 10 years of non-development that the site is currently becoming run-down and unsafe. The pier restaurant is unable to refurbish its toilets, make them safe and bring up to modern standards the kitchens and other facilities required to run a modern and busy restaurant.

Likewise the Lorne angling club, as one of the most popular clubs along the whole Great Ocean Road, is unable to properly cater for its many members and visitors alike at times and particularly at an event such as the Lorne Pier to Pub, where that whole precinct is filled with thousands of people. The whole area needs to be looked after. It is under current projections still many, many years, if not decades, away from the grand vision that the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee has put to the community.

Quite simply, the community is very happy with the low profile, the low density that currently exists there. There are people currently tenanting the building who have their own resources and who are prepared to invest in the area, make it good and make it usable for the community for the long-term benefits of both the Lorne township and the state. This is an area where the government is overthinking the problem. The problem’s solutions are much more simple, and I urge the minister to intervene and let the community have its precinct back and let it develop it with its own resources, its own ideas and its own initiative.