‘Hearings’ on Bayside

Kim Waters
BELLARINE Peninsula residents will have their chance to raise concerns about foreshore management in a series of consultation sessions, according to a recently appointed committee chairperson.
Bellarine Bayside Foreshore Committee of Management chair Cathy Whelan labelled the committee’s first meeting under the new board as “positive”.
“One outcome of interest was an agreement to hold six community listening posts in August and September,” Ms Whelan said.
“We will hold two sessions in each of the townships of Indented Head, Portarlington and St Leonards including a daytime and an evening meeting in each location to allow people with different availabilities and lifestyles to participate in the process.”
Residents at a committee meeting in April expressed a range of concerns about Bellarine Bayside from inadequate foreshore management to a lack of transparency.
Almost 1600 residents signed a petition for State Government to reinstate an elected board to oversee the organisation, which manages the foreshore between Portarlington’s Point Richards and St Leonards.
Ms Whelan said she was “interested” in responding to community concerns but could “not remember” problems raised at the new board’s first meeting last week.
“There were four members of the local community in attendance and the issues raised by them were addressed,” she said.
“I don’t remember what concerns were raised and I don’t have the documentation with me – nothing is in the front of my mind.
“This was the first meeting of the new committee, so it was business as usual but a very important development was the community listening posts.”
Ms Whelan was aware of negative sentiment toward Bellarine Bayside but said the new committee had no plans to address issues raised at the April meeting.
“The listening posts are our first port of call,” she said.
“I want to hear about whatever is on people’s minds and we will document those issues and concerns. They will then be circulated to all participants as well as being put on our website.”