THE development of new sporting facilities on the ‘Carnival Land’ at the corner of Phillip Island Road and Ventnor Road on Phillip Island has become a major election issue.
But, then again, it has always been the number one priority for funding and development on the Island, even before the Bass Coast Shire Council opted instead to go ahead and spend $32 million on the Berninneit cultural centre.
At last week’s shire council meeting, the final public session before council went into ‘Caretaker Mode’ ahead of the October council elections, there were no fewer than six questions about the sports facility and the lack of progress during community question time.
And it was also the hot topic of conversation at a ‘meet the candidates’ night, organised by Island Voice last Tuesday night, addressed by all seven Island candidates (in ballot order): Ron Bauer, Darrell Silva, Marnie Chadwick, Tracey Bell, David Rooks, John Trigt, and Tim O’Brien.
Why, it was asked, can’t the Council use some of the $25 million they want to spend on the Cowes Streetscape developing some playing facilities on the Carnival site? They already own the land.
“It’s a very popular thing tonight, the sports facility,” noted Cr David Rooks.
“It always has been!” fired back Cr Rob Bauer.
“I’ve always been very supportive of outdoor activity,” responded Cr Rooks.
In fact, according to a spokesperson for the Phillip Island Football Netball Club, its president Chris Ross, the shire council only needs to look 50km down the road, at Lang Lang's new recreation reserve on Soldiers Road, Caldermeade, to see what’s required at the Carnival site.
“It’s not just enough to plonk an oval there. You need lights, changeroom facilities and some of the other things, like they have at Lang Lang,” said Chris Ross this week.
The Phillip Island Football Netball Club has upwards of 500 active footy members, male, female and junior, and 160 netball members who can’t all fit on the over-stressed Cowes oval.
At the opening of the Lang Lang complex a couple of years ago, Monash MP Russell Broadbent, who organised a $1.5 million contribution to the cost of the pavilion from the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund, said the facility is a model for others to follow.
“I’d like to see this standard of sporting and recreation facility across all of my electorate. This is a wonderful sporting and community precinct,” he said.
The cruncher, of course, is that the Cardinia Shire Council contributed $5.7 million to the reserve project with local contributions of $3.3 million. The pavilion was funded through the Australian Government’s Building Better Regions Fund ($1.5 million) and Cardinia Shire Council ($3 million). All up it’s a total of $13.5 million but no where near the cost of Berninneit, the Cowes Streetscape or the projected $52 million might cost to build an aquatic centre (including 25 metre pool, 24-hour gym and two indoor sports courts).
Can’t wait 20 years
President of the Phillip Island Medical and Health Action Group and a former Bass Coast Councillor Peter Paul chaired the candidates’ night putting a series of questions to them about the Berninneit cultural centre, the lack of progress on the sports facility, Cowes parking problems and generally about the lack of transparency and accountability from the council before handing over to public questions.
He asked about the priority given by council to $23m-$25m Cowes Streetscape project and the fact that a significant loss of parking was projected when the community clearly wanted and needed more sports facilities.
“They community can’t wait 20 years for sports facilities, would you support a review if elected to council,” asked Mr Paul.
- Tracey Bell: The streetscape is ugly but it’s not a priority compared to sports facilities. I’ve got a 7-year-old son he’d be 27 by the time they built it. No way. Sports facilities before streetscape.
- David Rooks: It’s very important to get recreation facilities. We purchased the land for that, but people have worked for many years to get the streetscaped changed but I would support a review of priorities in council’s first year.
- Ron Bauer: I’ve advocated to move the streetscape funding to the recreation reserve project for football, cricket, outdoor sports, basketball, new on-leash dog walking areas and the new Millowl Aquatic Centre.
- Tim O’Brien: I work in mental health and we want our kids to be healthy and to get them off their devices. We have so many kids who need these sporting facilities and the weight of support should be reflected in the priorities.
- Darrell Silva: I’m appalled that the council said they didn’t need to rezone the land for 10 years. If the question came up again, you’d get a different response from me.
- John Trigt: I agree, switch the money (from streetscape to sports).
- Marnie Chadwick: The main street is not broken so there’s no urgent need to fix it. Money for the recreation project is the priority.
The issue was also revisited in public questions.
Former councillor Stephen Fullerton said he was dismayed the recreation project appeared to have been set back 25 years.
Phillip Davey of Surf Beach asked why councillors refused to meet directly with those involved in the Surf Beach Sunderland Bay Special Charge Scheme in order to find a solution and challenged David Rooks over claims he’d made that there had been extensive community consultation. Is council doing community consultation right or should it be face to face?
Cr Rooks said different methods of consultation were required in different circumstances, saying the council needed to make contact with more than 1000 property owners. He said he’d have to agree to disagree with Mr Davey on whether there had been enough consultation.
Cr Rooks was also challenged over his attempt, in July 2022, to do away with community question time at council meetings.
“I don’t think I can say anything that would be helpful at this point except that there are alternatives to the current system.”
Question of intent
Among the questions asked at the council meeting last week were:
- Graham Jolly: What are all the constraints stopping council from constructing a new sporting oval during the 2025/26 year, costing approximately $4 million to $5 million on council owned land known as the Hilton Chadwick Reserve as identified in the councils Phillip Island Recreation Master Plan 2023?
- RESPONSE: Capital works projects within the shire are guided by Council's adopted 10-year Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) 2021–31. Currently, the actions identified in the Phillip Island Recreation Reserve Master Plan, adopted in September 2023, are not included in the LTFP. The LTFP is scheduled for review in 2025.
- John Trigt: As councillors are aware of the Federal Government’s $600 million Growing Regional Program, this is funding for pools and sporting ovals to support community liveability. Surf Coast Shire announced construction of a pool for completion 2026. Are our council officers working towards a grant submission for a pool or sporting ovals.
- RESPONSE: No, the Council contribution required for this program is not in the current budget. Following the adoption of the Phillip Island Recreation Reserve Masterplan future funding is subject to review of Counci’s Long Term Financial Plan.
- Andrew Marston: Phillip Island has waited years for a swimming pool; their football club desperately needs more ovals. Dogs in Bass Coast have fewer safe exercise spaces than just about anywhere in Australia. Council purchased 80 acres of land for recreation. When will you honour your commitment and rezone to facilitate progress?
- RESPONSE: Rezoning of the site is not required for progress to occur. Rezoning is a medium-term action in the adopted Master Plan. It is anticipated that this process will occur in approximately 10 years.
- Andrew Marston: What funding applications has Council made to State and Federal sources to assist the development of recreation facilities at the Cowes Recreation Reserve, and if none, when will applications be made so that the community can use the land you have purchased for them?
- RESPONSE: Currently, no funding applications have been submitted to State or Federal grant programs for the development of recreation facilities at the Cowes Recreation Reserve. Grant applications typically require a financial contribution from the Council, and at this stage, the projects identified in the Phillip Island Recreation Reserve Master Plan are not included in the Council's budget. Future funding is subject to review of Counci’s Long Term Financial Plan.
Federal priorities 2024
- $5m tracks and trails (include Woolami-Nyora & Cowes-Rhyll)
- $25m Cowes Streetscape (Stages 1&2 $12m)
- $15m Wonthaggi Streetscape
- $1m Wonthaggi alternative freight route (detailed study & design)
- $20m Roads to Recovery funding
- $20m Bass Coast Dinosaur Trail
- Coastal erosion (nationally consistent framework)
- Climate Action ($300,000 for vulnerable communities)
- Affordable housing (Investment in social, affordable and key worker housing in Bass Coast Shire also urgent funding for specialist, emergency and transitional accommodation, including for people experiencing family violence
- $100,000 for workplace gender-based violence program
State priorities 2024
- $1.6m Upgrade Wonthaggi Union Community Arts Centre Foyer
- $25m Cowes Streetscape Master Plan project ($12m stages 1&2)
- $1m Wonthaggi Alternative Freight Route (detailed study and design)
- $150,000 for a comprehensive audit of disabled parking within Bass Coast Shire
- $100,000 per annum over 7 years to reduce the wildlife roadkill
- $26m for traffic signal installation at San Remo Back Beach Road (Regional Roads Victoria)
- $20m sealing urban roads
- $5m tracks and trails (Woolamai-Nyora, Cowes-Rhyll).
- $15m Wonthaggi Streetscape
- Coastal erosion (nationally consistent framework)
- Climate Action ($300,000 for vulnerable communities)
- Review of the Extractive Industry Interest Area in Bass Coast
- $150,000 for professional touring product (WUCAC, Berninneit)
- Investment in early years infrastructure in Bass Coast
- Activate and invest into the Chisholm TAFE, bus services across the shire and support for Major Events
- $11.5m stage 1 includes Wonthaggi Gondwana Garden, Inverloch Adventure Themed Playspace & Kilcunda Village Green
- Affordable housing (Investment in social, affordable and key worker housing in Bass Coast Shire also urgent funding for specialist, emergency and transitional accommodation, including for people experiencing family violence
- $6.25m three-year public transport pilot in Phillip Island and San Remo
- Ongoing funding for workplace gender-based violence program.
