Spring history on side

MICHELLE HERBISON
DEVELOPERS should revive Clifton Springs’ mineral spa site instead of building a new facility in Geelong, according to a community group.
Drysdale Clifton Springs Community Association’s Neil McGuinness said the town’s historic mineral springs site should be restored instead of “eroding into the sea”.
The Independent reported in September that State Government was committed to supporting public and private investment in a proposed Geelong Waterfront Bathhouse. City of Greater Geelong said the development was one of council’s funding priorities but was yet to secure funding.
Mr McGuinness accused council of being “Geelong-centred”.
“Places like Clifton Springs lose out on developments like this.”
Mr McGuinness said rapid erosion of the Clifton Springs coast beside the 150-year-old mineral spring site had exposed glass and a brick structure.
Council had installed three of six proposed groynes to curb erosion but “only doing half the job” threatened to hasten the erosion, he said.
“People are aware there’s a historic mineral spring there but they go down and what they see is a bit sad.”
Councillor Rod Macdonald said he doubted Clifton Springs could attract enough business to support a mineral spring complex additional to the facility planned for Geelong.
The Geelong project would attract tourism because it had a “critical mass of activity”, he said.
“Any investment like that is obviously done by a private investor but there’d need to be approvals and a lot of work done around the feasibility of it. It’s a fairly expensive, significant investment.”
Cr Macdonald said investors had shown no interest in developing a spa at Clifton Springs.
Geelong Otway Tourism executive director Roger Grant said he saw potential for mineral springs complexes in both locations.
“The reality is whether it’s in Daylesford or on the Mornington Peninsula, mineral springs are very popular indeed from both a tourism and a local point of view.”
Mr Grant said investigations into the viability of a spa at Clifton Springs, including water quality and volume tests, would be essential.