Voting at the East Gippsland Shire Council meeting last Tuesday shocked the Lakes Entrance community, according to Lakes Entrance Action Development Association.
Council was presented with a proposal to enter a partnership arrangement that would see a staged development of Bullock Island. Under the proposal council would take over development and management of the island and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) would undertake the responsibility for the remediation works to seawalls.
Following debate on the proposal, a vote was taken with four councillors voting to accept the proposal and four voting against. Given a tied vote, mayor, Cr Natalie O’Connell, exercised her authority to place a casting vote, choosing to go against her original vote go against the proposal.
President of the Lakes Entrance Action Development Association (LEADA), Bruce Hurley, said the decision to vote against the proposal “represents a huge lost opportunity to the whole of the Lakes Entrance community”.
“LEADA held the largest ever town meeting for Lakes Entrance earlier this year. Cr Dick Ellis was the only councillor attending along with chief executive officer, Anthony Basford, and other council staff. It is unfortunate that the remaining councillors could not be present to hear firsthand the high degree of importance the township places on the development of Bullock Island,” Mr Hurley said.
“Work on developing the island was ranked first in the list of priorities identified by the community in the extensive survey undertaken in the township.
“Bullock Island is a totally under-developed facility whose potential to boost local tourism with a modest cost has long been recognised.
“The proposal would have allowed council to upgrade the existing dirt track now used by fishers and sightseers and to install some basic facilities to cater for tourists, such as a toilet block.
“Bullock Island has been languishing for decades because of lack of development despite several plans supported by the council recommending improvements to Bullock Island.
“Most recently the council adopted a Master Plan for the island back in 2015, but in the four years since, it appears little action has been taken by councillors to actually implement the plan.
“Other bodies with responsibilities for Bullock Island are stepping up to the mark. The Lakes Entrance Fishermen’ s Co-operative has successfully applied for funding for a boardwalk leading to a viewing platform to watch fishing boats unload their catch and for a seafood café, Gippsland Ports has successfully applied for funding to extend the jetty used for recreational fishing and crabbing on Bullock Island and DELWP have agreed to maintain the seawall. What’s lacking is support and leadership from council.”
Mr Hurley said council staff have worked hard to draft a partnership proposal, which would see progress, but said the community has again been let down by a vote which ignores community pleas.
“Lakes really needs urgent action to revitalise the town and to upgrade its infrastructure,“ Mr Hurley said.
“The township is upset with the Bullock Island decision. The town expects and hopes that councillors recognise the disappointment and anger felt at Lakes by the continuing neglect of a prime tourist and recreational facility and that they reverse their decision at the next council meeting.”
Federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester, has asked council to urgently reconsider its decision to not take over the management of the Island.
The proposal will be put to council at a later date following further analysis, which Cr Mark Reeves said would tighten up any loose ends.
Mr Chester said he was “disappointed and surprised” by council’s split decision to leave the island in the hands of the State Government through its Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).
“Bullock Island should be an icon of Lakes Entrance and the Gippsland Lakes but instead it’s an eyesore,” Mr Chester said in a letter to council.
“Decades of mismanagement and underfunding by the State Government has meant Bullock Island has failed to deliver on its potential for our region.
“Council decided seven years ago that it was best placed to manage the island and a master plan was adopted by council in 2015 after extensive community consultation.
“Four years later, very little of the plan has been implemented and council has now refused to enter an agreement with DELWP on the future management arrangements for the remaining public open space at Bullock Island.
“The community was led to believe on many occasions that the ‘sticking point’ was the risk associated with the existing seawalls but the draft agreement clearly states that liability will remain with DELWP. It is a short-sighted decision to abandon the plan at this late stage and undermines local community confidence as it endeavours to build the visitor economy in the region.”
Voting with the recommendation, Lakes Entrance councillor, Dick Ellis, said Bullock Island improvements were among the top reasons he wanted to be on council.
“It’s a gateway to Lakes Entrance,” he said.
“It’s a very popular site for tourism usage and culturally for the well-being of town it’s incredibly important.
“To tidy it up from the neglect it was exposed to by the crown and in particular by DEWLP… this is really an important decision by council for the town of Lakes Entrance.
“We’ve been through so many meetings from the creation of management plans, community consultation on different aspects, paths, walkways, all sorts of things, culminating with the next step, the Jemmys Point development.
“If any councillor cares to travel down to Bullock Island they will see people of all nationalities taking advantage of what the island provides.
“With passive recreational facilities, like pathways, grassed areas, tables and chairs and a decent toilet, the usage of the island will increase and be an attraction to the town.”
PICTURED: The Lakes Entrance community is shocked with the East Gippsland Council’s decision to not enter into a partnership arrangement that would see a staged development of Bullock Island.
