KINGSTON Council has taken up a fight to reinstate a no-boating zone off Aspendale beach on behalf of residents.
Parks Victoria moved a no-boating area from in front of the Gnotuk Avenue carpark section of the beach two years ago. A no-boating zone sign was removed from the carpark and the zone was moved 200 metres north.
Councillors unanimously agreed to write to Parks Victoria to request the no-boating zone be reinstated to its original location.
Cr Tamsin Bearsley said Aspendale residents fear a serious accident could occur in waters shared by vessels and swimmers and want the no-boating zone moved back to its original location.
“The beach in front of our Gnotuk Avenue carpark is one of our busiest in Kingston and the result of the post being moved is that jet skis, boats, swimmers and children playing in the water are now all sharing the same 200 metre strip of water. It is a safety issue.”
Cr Rosemary West said “the location of boating posts has been a big issue for the association of Bayside municipalities and there are a number of problems like this [at Aspendale beach].”
Cr West noted the beach in front of Carrum Sailing Club had been designated a “no-boats zone” making it impossible to launch boats there but this had been changed.
“These things need compromise. It seems to me that Parks Victoria should have a process where when these problems emerge they can be dealt with when a community is clear about what it wants.”
A “Parks Victoria person” had met with Kingston Council when the boating and no-boating zones came in to hear concerns but then “did nothing”, according to Cr West.
Cr Bearsley said “it’s not council’s responsibility, it is Parks Victoria” but council is “here to advocate for our residents and this is a way we can do that.”
Parks Victoria local ports and waterways senior manager Victor Teoh said “the Aspendale swimming only zone was shifted 140 meters north to line up with Gnotuk Avenue”.
“This change provides a more centred alignment of the swimming only zone with the life saving club and also aligns the southern boundary with Gnotuk Avenue making locating the boundary easier to identify from a distance.”
Mr Teoh said Parks Victoria is ensuring all boating zones across Port Phillip and Western Port are safe, easy to identify and also easy to comply with.
