NEW WEBSITE AT LAST
In an earlier newsletter last year we ran an article……..”Where to from here ?” in which we said that our website would be redesigned and become the focus of our activities in the future. This website would provide an electronic forum for all to see about what people want and don’t want at Walkerville.
Well at last its here, a bit later than anticipated but never the less operational in January this year thanks to a very young, talented and generous web designer and WPA member Mark O’Keeffe.
Apart from being a forum for debate about issues at Walkerville, the website is an information base for any stakeholders, organizations, local service providers or visitors who want to use it. Groups including Ratepayers, Fishing Club, Red Cross or anyone else can post their minutes, advertise activities or promote events if they so choose. It has the ability to provide a swift communication medium at zero cost.
As generational change takes place at Walkerville or anywhere else, the electronic medium will be the future source of information and communication.
The WPA is happy to provide this service free of charge to anyone who wants to use it.
We also encourage visitors to share their good experiences at Walkerville by sending us stories or photos about things they enjoyed.
What we have at the moment is not much more than a skeleton or framework which will be fleshed out as time goes by, Walkerville stakeholders including yourself with historical articles, environmental issues or recommendations about local pubs, cafes, restaurants cafes etc, etc, etc
LIMEBURNERS TRACK
The walking track over the bluff between the kilns at Walkerville South and the beach at Walkerville North was closed in September last year because a medium sized tree fell across the track near the kilns. This track has been in operation in excess of 60 years and serves as a tourist walking track with great views and access track to the historic cemetery which is the final resting place of many of Walkerville pioneers. It is also an alternative access track to the beach at Walkerville during full tides.
Articles have appeared in the local papers [see website…”press”]from both local residents and “Parks “.Parks say they are closing the track indefinitely until they do a risk assessment.
Trees have been falling across this track since it was opened…previously the logical response was to get a chainsaw and remove it…. now we do a risk assessment.
We hope this is not a move by Parks to close the track permanently without community consultation…and by that we mean talking to the people that use it rather than the people that don’t use it. This is a very important connection for beach goers to “south” who live in “north”, when the tide is full. The alternatives of scrambling around the rocks with children in surf or walking 13 km around the back road are not viable and defy common sense. There will be those who say families should plan their beachgoing activities to coincide with the tides….NO…children’s appetites and behavior don’t work like that.
We are optimistic that common sense will prevail and this well used track in which parks have invested heavily over the years will remain open after a seemingly unnecessarily long risk assessment into the demise of what is a relatively small tree.
If this is another attempt by selfish ideologists to get families out of Walkerville by using this as an excuse and coercing Parks into the track closure…it will be exposed by the WPA for what it is.
FORESHORE COMMITTEE
The DS&E advertised for a new committee for the next three years last August, after an interview/selection process the following 10 members were appointed….
Bill Bray
Isley Sutherland
Andrew Ringin
Robert Liley
Chelsea Taylor
Paul O’Neal *
Joseph Pincini *
Margaret Robinson *
Robin Crocker
Anthony Landy
* new members
The WPA congratulates the new committee on their appointment and looks forward to working with them over the next three years.
CORRESPONDENCE
OUTWARDS 
7th December 2010
Letter to WBAC [boat club] congratulating Dale Sartori on his election as president and offering him the use of our new website as a bulletin board.
8th December 2010
Letter to Sth. Gippsland Shire, requesting roadside slashing at Walkerville North.
December 2010
Letters to local newspaper editors congratulating WBAC retiring president Laurie Pincini who was the founding father of the boat club
12th February 2011
Letter to WFCM congratulating new committee and requesting committee meeting dates and an update of the proposed new management plan mentioned in the January 2010 WFCM newsletter.
12th February 2010
Letter to Parks Victoria, Regional Office, seeking comments on the closure of Limeburners track.
INWARDS
31st march 2010
DS&E response to our earlier letter on election procedures for the WFCM
6th august 2010
DS&E, acknowledging expression of interest of WPA president as a Foreshore Committee member.
19th November 2010
Response from DS&E, advising of WFCM election/appointment results.
FUTURE NEWSLETTERS AND ACTIVITIES
We hope most members will keep up with what is happening or not happening at Walkerville by keeping in touch with the website [we will continue to post correspondence to those who don’t have internet access]….with the most important issues we hope to make more use of the local press who well serve the needs of the local community. Members are encouraged to write to the papers by mail/email on issues they feel strongly about to.
Sentinel Times: news@sgst.com.au
Foster Mirror: mirror@tpg.com.au
Great Southern Star: news@thestar.com.au
Good news stories and happy snaps are strongly encouraged if you want to share your good experiences at Walkerville. [just put a date and a brief note with your emailed photos]
The old quote…”THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD”
has now morphed into …”THE WEB IS MIGHTIER THAN THE PEN”
The possibilities for community action have increased enormously since the recent advent of the electronic forums such as facebook, twitter, emails etc. It’s a fast running interactive world and our little forum needs to run with it.
Steve Graham - President WPA
