THE future is already happening at Phillip Island, and to a lesser extent, the rest of Bass Coast and South Gippsland.
You could see that in the bumper crowds that streamed onto the Island and into the local region generally during the school holidays, in the depth of winter it must be said, to experience the Island Whale Festival, our magnificent coast, the rail trails, the café culture and all the other experiences we have to offer.
We’ve always heard that the proximity of our two local municipalities to the south-east Melbourne growth corridor will have major implications for us over the next decade or two.
But unsurprisingly, with the populations of our growing neighbours really on the march, and just down the road, including Cardinia with a population of 120,000, Casey 370,000 and Baw Baw 60,000, they’re already here getting a breath of fresh air and the numbers are only going to build.
Bass Coast and South Gippsland already have a lot to interest the visitor.
And simply letting them find their own way is one strategy, but as we saw with the success of the Island Whale Festival at the weekend, visitors are looking for information and activities that will keep them, their friends and their kids engaged and entertained.
The organisers of the Island Whale Festival, including the Bass Coast Shire Council, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Destination Phillip Island and other agencies should be congratulated for the way the event was staged but it could easily be expanded to a whole week of the school holidays next year.
What the success of that event also shows is that we need to have a strategy for the sustainable development of accommodation, visitor facilities and appropriate activities.
And two of the facilities that should be high on the list for Bass Coast are an aquatic/sports centre at Cowes and a Destination Gravity Trail Network for mountain bike enthusiasts.
What we also need is for the council to listen and respond, not dictate terms.
