A COMMITTEE will be set up by Frankston Council to give residents a say on future plans for boating on the Frankston foreshore.
The release of the state government’s recreational boating action plan raised eyebrows among Frankston environmentalists recently. The document outlined that planning for a boat harbour in Frankston should commence soon, reviving a concept thought by many to be dead in the water.
In October 2019, Frankston Council abandoned its plans for a safe boat refuge at Oliver’s Hill after the state and federal governments failed to commit funding to the project. The release of the action plan has put the project back on the agenda.
In response to backlash from environmentalists, Frankston mayor Nathan Conroy has acknowledged that the prospect of a boat harbor in Frankston “is of concern to our community”. He confirmed last week that council is setting up a foreshore advisory committee to “create a vital forum for residents and community groups to provide input”.
“This will also provide an opportunity for community groups which share an interest in and a passion for the foreshore to come together to gain a greater understanding of the state government’s project and voice their concerns,” he said. “The recreational boating action plan was launched independently by Better Boating Victoria. Council has not been involved in setting any forward agenda for what Better Boating Victoria aims to achieve. However, we are supportive of working with them and the community to learn more about their plans.
“Council does not have a preferred location for a safe boat harbour or firm view on the project at this early stage and we look forward to receiving more information from Better Boating Victoria.”
Earlier this year, Better Boating Victoria told The Times that “the location and scope of any facility would be further explored through consultation with locals, user groups and facility and land managers.”
“There is limited availability of public destination facilities in this section of the bay, and the provision of additional berths, moorings and tourist jetties will aim to accommodate future growth and support local boating tourism,” a Better Boating Victoria spokesperson said (“New boat facility plans on the horizon” The Times 31/1/22).
