Bass Coast Post - News of Bass Coast

Fire and rain

9/1/2025

The northern section of the Gurdies was burnt but firefighters managed
to stop the fire from crossing the creek.

BY Catherine Watson

MANY of us have mourned since fire swept through the Gurdies Nature Conservation Reserve on December 19-20, threatening properties in the Gurdies and further afield.

Around 192 hectares was burnt in total, including around 125ha in the northern section of the Gurdies reserve and a small area of the nearby Hurdy Gurdy Nature Conservation Reserve.

Save Western Port Woodlands invites the community to come together at the Dunbabbin Road Picnic Area in the Gurdies Nature Conservation Reserve at 10am on Saturday 11th January for Fire & Rain, a ritual of loss and renewal.

Cape boundary capped

17/12/2024

By Catherine Watson

THE Cape Paterson community is celebrating tonight after winning a decade-long battle against a massive expansion of their coastal village.

While the I’s are still to be dotted and the T’s crossed, Bass MP Jordan Crugnale announced today that the town boundary will be returned to Seaward Drive.

She said a new draft map would open for consultation on the Engage Victoria website tomorrow to enable the community to affirm their wishes on the Cape boundary.

There is little doubt about those wishes since hundreds of residents have campaigned for years for exactly that result.

‘This is an emergency’

13/12/2024

The council has spent $223,000 on emergency works at Inverloch beach in the past four months.

By Catherine Watson

“LIKE the residents in a valley watching a bushfire approaching …” That was how Cr Tim O’Brien’s described coastal residents as he pressed for stronger action on beach erosion at Inverloch and Silverleaves.

At Wednesday’s council meeting – the first full meeting by the new council – councillors voted for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor to seek an urgent meeting with Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos.

They will request the commencement as soon as practicable of large-scale dune restoration at Inverloch and funding for Geotech sandbagging for the Silverleaves foreshore.

Parking not required

12/12/2024

There's plenty of on-street parking in San Remo, according to the developers and planning report.

By Catherine Watson

A San Remo commercial development has been granted a complete parking waiver despite 20 objections and councillor frustrations over other recent parking waivers.

The block at 151 Marine Parade is just 163 square metres and formerly housed Jim's Bait & Tackle.

The developers have squeezed every last inch of value out of the site with a four-storey complex incorporating 11 small offices on the upper three levels and a shop at ground level.

Meet Bass Coast's new mayor

20/11/2024

New Bass Coast Mayor Rochelle Halstead and Deputy Mayor Brett Tessari, seated. Back, from left,
Crs Meg Edwards, Jan Thompson, Mat Morgan, Ron Bauer, Tracey Bell, Jon Temby and Tim O’Brien.

By Catherine Watson

AFTER two terms as Deputy Mayor of Bass Coast, Cr Rochelle Halstead has been elected as Bass Coast Mayor today at the first public meeting of the new council.

After a week of wheeling and dealing, the mayoralty appeared headed for a showdown with three-time mayor Brett Tessari but in the end Cr Halstead was the sole candidate.

Cr Tessari was elected unopposed as deputy mayor.

The bloodless elections allow the new council to start their four-year term without the rancour that marked the final year of the previous council after a bitter mayoralty contest a year ago.

Showdown for top job

16/11/2024

Mayoral candidates Brett Tessari and Rochelle Halstead

By Catherine Watson

IT’S been a week of total immersion for Bass Coast’s new councillors with introductions, official photographs and councillor classes on everything from governance to avoiding conflicts of interest to how to fill in their expense forms.

Behind the scenes it’s been equally busy with the two obvious mayoral candidates, returning councillors Brett Tessari and Rochelle Halstead, working the phones and doing the numbers.

While three-time mayor Cr Tessari appears to have the support of the progressive councillors, two-time deputy mayor Cr Halstead has the support of the conservatives.

The contest will be decided on Wednesday at the first meeting of the new council, unless one of them withdraws first.

What happened to PICAL?

14/11/2024

By Catherine Watson

THE announcement of Phillip Island Community and Learning Centre’s (PICAL) demise fortunately proved to be premature, but it’s worth trying to understand how this trusted institution came so close to failing.

The answer is clear to see in the annual information statements that PICAL submits to the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission.

PICAL’s Annual Information Statements show the organisation recorded a deficit for six consecutive years between 2017 and 2022.

On October 4 this year PICAL chairman Graeme Turner announced that the Committee of Management would move to wind up the organisation because of debts due to historic underpayment of staff.

Berninneit scoops fourth award

14/11/2024

National Architecture Awards judges praised the project for its connectedness to community and
cited its inspiration from local geography. Photo: Niki Cahill

THE new Cowes Cultural Centre has been awarded a national architecture prize, celebrating fine design and the importance of connection to country and community.

Berninneit took out a National Award for Public Architecture in the National Architecture Awards in Adelaide on Thursday night.

The impressive arts and cultural hub in Cowes, which was designed by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects and built by McCorkell Constructions, is a Passivhaus-designed building which brings together the arts, story gathering and local amenities.

Meet your new councillors

6/11/2024

New team outside the Bass Coast electoral office. Clockwise from back left, Crs Tim O'Brien (Island Ward), Jon Temby, Jan Thompson and Rochelle Halstead (Western Port), Brett Tessari and Mat Morgan (Bunurong).
Absent: Crs Ron Bauer, Tracey Bell and Meg Edwards.

By Catherine Watson

After a week of counting, preferences were distributed this afternoon and Bass Coast has a new team of councillors to manage our affairs over the next four years, including six new councillors.

Former councillors Brett Tessari, Ron Bauer and Rochelle Halstead were all re-elected with a strong primary vote.

The new councillors are Mat Morgan and Meg Edwards (Bunurong Ward), Tim O’Brien and Tracey Bell (Island Ward) and Jon Temby and Jan Thompson (Western Port Ward).

Former councillors Leticia Laing, David Rooks and Les Larke were unsuccessful. Crs Clare Le Serve, Michael Whelan and Geoff Ellis did not seek re-election.

Election in the balance

5/11/2024

Returning councillors: Brett Tessari, Ron Bauer and Rochelle Halstead

By Catherine Watson

THREE sitting councillors have won re-election in the Bass Coast Council election, one has been dumped and the fate of two hangs in the balance.

Brett Tessari (Bunurong Ward), Ron Bauer (Island Ward) and Rochelle Halstead (Western Port Ward) were all re-elected on their primary vote.

The distribution of preferences will determine the fate of all the other candidates. While most candidates indicated their preferences, scrutineers told the Post there didn’t seem much rhyme or reason to the voting.

Cowes makeover

31/10/2024

The project will enhance connectivity between the Cowes foreshore and the township.

COWES will be transformed into a pedestrian-friendly township that fully embraces its historic foreshore, with $8 million in new Federal Government funding announced today for the council’s Cowes Foreshore Precinct project.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, and Local Government, Catherine King, was in Cowes this morning to make the announcement.

Job done

22/10/2024

From ‘renovator’s delight’ to top treatment : Jan Child, left, with Health Minister Jill Hennessy and Bass Coast Health chairman Don Paproth at the announcement of a $115 million upgrade of Wonthaggi Hospital.

By Catherine Watson

BASS Coast Health’s CEO Jan Child has stepped down after eight tumultuous years during which she transformed local health services.

BCH Board Chair Ian Thompson announced her resignation on Friday and paid tribute to her achievements.

Long-serving executive Shaun Brooks will take on the Acting CEO role while the board undertakes a formal recruitment process.

When the Department of Health co-opted Ms Child as acting chief executive in March 2016, Bass Coast Health was in crisis. The CEO had left suddenly, just days after the board chairman had resigned. Wonthaggi Hospital faced a $3.5 million deficit, along with dilapidated facilities, declining services and declining patient numbers.

Breakthrough in woodlands campaign

14/10/2024

The Western Port Woodlands in Bass Coast are excluded from the new Strategic Extractive Resource Areas.

By Catherine Watson

Bass Coast’s woodlands will no longer be considered a priority sand mining area for the state with the announcement of major sand extraction areas at Lang Lang and Trafalgar North.

The Strategic Extractive Resource Areas (SERA) review excludes the entire Bass Coast Shire, with ministerial advisors saying the Extractive Industry Interest Area declaration on woodlands in Bass Coast could be removed once the SERA process is completed.

It’s a breakthrough for the Save Western Port Woodlands (SWPW) community group after five years of campaigning. Bass Coast Shire Council has also advocated to end sand mining in areas of environmental significance.

It doesn’t mean the closure of sand mines already operating in Bass Coast woodlands, but it will make it more difficult for companies to get planning permits for new mines or extensions of existing permits.

PICAL services safe, for now

14/10/2024

WHILE Phillip Island Community and Learning (PICAL) may be forced to wind up, funding and support agencies have moved quickly to ensure crucial services will continue.

PICAL’s committee of management, its umbrella organisation Neighbourhood Houses Gippsland (NGH) and Bass Coast Shire Council have all moved to reassure vulnerable clients.

The discovery of inadvertent under-payments to staff over more than a decade have left the neighbourhood house technically insolvent.

PICAL’s committee of management has called a special general meeting for November 14 to consider a motion to wind up the organisation.

$13m 'hotel' for health workers

11/10/2024

Hotel-style accommodation for staff will be built on vacant land behind Wonthaggi Hospital.

BASS Coast Health has secured $5 million in State Government funding towards building hotel-style accommodation for key health workers and their families on vacant land behind Wonthaggi Hospital.

Acting Bass Coast Health CEO Shaun Brooks said the $13 million project would help meet the challenge of accommodating visiting specialists.

“Like most regional health services, we have Melbourne-based specialists and health workers come for two or more shifts.

Council in the balance

7/10/2024

This story was revised on September 18 after final nominations were confirmed.

Going, going, going ... Crs Michael Whelan, Clare Le Serve and Geoff Ellis

By Catherine Watson

AFTER three progressive councils, the pendulum could be about to swing for Bass Coast Shire with the exodus of three current left-leaning councillors, Clare Le Serve, Michael Whelan and Geoff Ellis.

If the council does swing right, there will likely be less interest in issues such as climate action, reconciliation, the environment and gender equity and more on the traditional three Rs of local government: “roads, rates, and rubbish”.

Enviro fund set to launch

15/6/2024

Strategic land purchases such as the Holden Proving Ground would be possible with a
dedicated environment fund.

By Catherine Watson

BASS Coast Council is going into the property business – but the aim is not to make a profit.

The council proposes to set up a charity to administer its Environment Fund in partnership with Biodiversity Legacy, a not-for-profit organisation with expertise in creating community stewarded biolinks.

The aim is to leverage partnerships, donations and green investment markets to preserve biodiversity and fund strategic land purchases across the shire, bringing “inspiration and a sense of collective action”.

Developer tries again

15/6/2024

Mahers Landing: natural haven and developer's dream

By Catherine Watson

MAHERS Landing is back in a developer’s sights, with plans for 144 powered camping sites, 50 cabins, a restaurant, art gallery and museum, boat hire and boat and caravan storage.

The proposal by Mering (Inverloch) Corporation Pty will be considered by Bass Coast Council at next week’s meeting.

It’s exactly four years since councillors unanimously rejected a proposal from the same company for a $380 million marina development on the site. Back then councillors described plans for a 200-boat marina and 1113 residential sites as “absurd ... ridiculous”.

At $54 million, the new proposal is more modest than the last one but equally out of touch with reality.

‘A delightful place for gathering’

13/6/2024

Berninneit's atrium: "a tranquil and welcoming two-storey hospitality space rhythmically ordered by a laminated mountain ash colonnade".
Photo: Peter Clarke

BERNINNEIT has won Victoria’s highest accolade in the public category of the Victorian Architecture Awards, announced last Friday night.

The new Cowes Cultural and Community Centre was the jury’s unanimous choice for what it described as “an extraordinarily well crafted and delightful place for gathering”.

The $32 million cultural centre is the most expensive project ever completed by Bass Coast Shire Council and had a decades-long genesis. After more than 30 years of discussion and many iterations, it finally opened last October with a month of community celebrations.

Local legends shine

1/6/2024

Bass Coast volunteers were honoured for their leadership at the second annual Bass Coast Community Awards at Berninneit last week. From left, Bailey Webster (Next Generation Leader Award), Mandy Chancellor (Community Leader Award), Bass Coast Mayor Clare le Serve, Cr Brett Tessari, Sandra Peeters (Contribution to Arts and Culture Award) and members of the Phillip Island Boardriders Club (Community Group Award). Photo: Lisa Burge

Ward restructure approved

30/5/2024

ALMOST one in five Bass Coast voters will change wards at the next council election, under a ward boundary restructure announced in this week’s Government Gazette.

The restructure follows a review by the Victorian Electoral Commission to bring the deviations of all wards within the legislated +/-10% range by the October 2024 local council elections.

Back on track

16/5/2024

By Catherine Watson

AFTER 10 years of cantankerous debate, the third and final stage of Inverloch’s beachside pathway is cleared for take off. Like everything else to do with this bedevilled path, the solution won’t please everyone – or possibly anyone.

The Inverloch Tourism Association wants more car parking spaces, and Surf Parade residents are unlikely to be happy as the stretch of Surf Parade between Ozone Street and Goroke Streetbecomes one-way.

A budget for hard times

18/4/2024

$3.7 million has been allocated for the Wonthaggi to Inverloch Shared Path.

THE Wonthaggi-Inverloch shared pathway is the single ‘big ticket’ item in Bass Coast’s draft budget for 2024-25.

Bass Coast ratepayers will pay an average 2.75% more in a budget described by Mayor Clare Le Serve as ‘conservative and responsible’.

It provides for total expenditure of $103.6 million, including almost $25 million on capital works, and projects an operating surplus of $4.3 million with a small underlying deficit of $66,000.

The capital works allocation for `24-25 is down 18% on last year’s allocation as councillors opted to maintain services rather than splash out on new infrastructure.

The housing divide

17/4/2024

For Lease signs have started to appear again

By Catherine Watson

THE pendulum appears to be swinging back in renters’ favour after several years when rental vacancies were scarce, particularly during the pandemic.

Realestate.com.au this week listed 116 residential properties available for rent in Bass Coast and For Lease signs have started to appear again after a gap of several years.

But the picture is complicated. While more properties are available, rents have not fallen far from the Covid peak and they remain out of reach of anyone on a Centrelink benefit or low wage.

The cheapest advertised rental on Realestate.com.au this week was $340 a week for a two-bedroom house in Cowes and $360 for a two-bedroom unit in Rhyll, but the rest were all $400 or over.

Storm debris help

15/4/2024

The free storm debris collection will operate in the yellow area from April 22-29.

RESIDENTS in the most severely storm impacted areas of Bass Coast can benefit from an additional kerbside debris collection.

Emergency Recovery Victoria contractors will collect storm debris directly from the kerbside, eliminating the need for residents to transport the waste themselves.