”Goat Track” defended

Andrew Mathieson
A CLIFTON Springs councillor has defended City Hall’s attempts to resurrect access to The Dell beach.
Tom O’Connor said the controversial new pathway was a temporary measure until The Dell was “under review” in a foreshore management plan.
Residents told the Independent last week that the pedestrian access pathway to Clifton Springs’ beach was a “goat track”.
They said the elderly had shunned the path from the top of the hillside because the track was too steep. Drysdale and Clifton Springs Community Association’s Bernard Filbay said the steep access ensured most “had one go but they don’t go back”.
Cr O’Connor defended the path.
“The inconvenience to some of the oldies is more a shame than anything,” he said.
“It’s bit like when you walk down 13th beach and you walk down all the steps and go down the dunes.
“It’s not like an it’s unusual way to access the beach.”
The Dell fully re-opened three months ago after Geelong’s council closed off the foreshore in 2002 amid fears that land slips on an adjacent cliff were a threat to public safety. Ratepayers will fork out $240,000 to fix problem areas east of a high-risk zone following a community clean-up at the beach last year.
Cr O’Connor said the management plan could include bike paths, walking trails and possibly car access to the foreshore.
“Once we get more tracks through there I think we’ll find that people will be able to access it far more readily than what it has been and what it is at the moment,” Cr O’Connor said.
“But, realistically, how many elderly people want to access it anyway?”
However, Cr O’Connor was not convinced car access to The Dell was a good idea.
He feared that a road would ruin the foreshore with visitors “hooning up and down in cars”.