Please send these to: Bill Bray – Chair, Walkerville Foreshore Reserve CoM
Yaringa, Fish Creek Rd, Walkerville 3956 [or] email: bray@tpg.com.au

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On 7th January the foreshore committee kindly forwarded to our association for comment a draft copy of a very comprehensive management plan for the period to 2020. This is essentially an update of the previous 2001 management plan.

A copy of this 2013 plan can be accessed by clicking here.

Our association recommends anyone with an interest at Walkerville to study the report and make comments to the foreshore committee by February 15th.
This is essentially a very well prepared, factual and realistic appraisal of all the issues surrounding Walkerville. It identifies the major actions as:

• develop and implement master plans for all visitor and parking areas
• implement erosion control works
• implement weed control programs
• manage beach vehicle access and parking at beach areas
• continue to provide off beach launching at North and examine the need to separate swimmers and boat launching vehicles at South in the summer and Easter holidays by prohibiting vehicular access
• develop a costed maintenance program
• develop a rolling 5 year capital works program
• review skills needed to implement this program and engage expertise where required.
• the committee has an annual budget of $250,000 to $300,000 plus financial reserves and access to grants.
• highlights of the reports SWAT analysis are… day areas and facilities are of poor to moderate quality/electric poles are intrusive/enforcement of dogs on beach regulations/limited water supply/more cabins in camping area as the public are becoming more discerning/limited skills and time of foreshore committee

Discussion

The report identifies shire tourist interests as sightseeing 76%, prom 72% and beach going 56%.The major users of Walkerville are residents both permanent and recreational  with their visitors, campers and casual day visitors of which there is no available information to their number.

• visitor numbers are increasing and becoming more cosmopolitan, numbers will increase as the area becomes better known and Melbourne’s population increases.
• This MANAGEMENT PLAN IS SOLELY CONCERNED WITH THE DS&E jurisdiction of the narrow piece of land including the camping ground and the foreshore either side of the road. Bayside Drive and a five metre distance either side has recently been gazetted by the government as under the care and management of the South Gippsland Shire. The Foreshore also includes the beach at Walkerville South. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE AREA WHICH WE ALL ENJOY IS UNDER THE CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF PARKS VICTORIA; ie the Cape Liptrap national Park this includes all the bushland behind the beach and the beach area itself between the bluff and the kilns.

Comment

Our association is in furious agreement with all recommendations of the report (providing they are implemented) if it is nothing more than window dressing as was the previous management plan in 2001 then we aren’t happy. One only has to look at the  2001 recommendations and compare it to the comments in the new report that “DAY AREA FACILITIES ARE OF POOR TO MODERATE QUALITY” the people responsible for the first report wrote the second one. The recommendations of 2001 weren’t taken seriously and we are yet to be convinced that any of the new recommendations will be taken seriously – if they are not then this whole matter is unacceptable.

Some years ago our association wrote on three occasions to the foreshore committee requesting signage to the toilets at South which aren’t obvious to those who don’t know. It was all to hard, no reply and no action. If simple matters such as these are beyond the skill levels of the committee then the recommendations are humbug.

Taking a more positive view however we feel that times and people have changed. We sense that this time the report is more concerned about what really needs to happen in preference to local ideology. Public opinion and increased usage and community expectations have led the current committee appointed by the DS&E to a more realistic approach than the previous “do nothing” methodology.

We have heard from many quarters that “parks get it”. They  see the need to balance  protection of natural areas with the acceptance that the public needs to be provided with sustainable improvements/facilities that allow them to enjoy these areas. The DS&E however seem to be solely concerned with locking up these areas with little consideration of human needs. It would make more sense for Parks to take over the foreshore responsibilities from the DS&E, as they have by far the greatest responsibilities at Walkerville and a much better track record of dealing with tourism.

In closing we would recommend that this management plan should some how or other be synchronised with Parks and the Shires management plans objectives… one songsheet for Walkerville.

Conclusion

As many people as possible should analyse this report and make their comments known either to ourselves or the DS&E/Walkerville foreshore committee.
Remember this associations primary focus is keep everyone at Walkerville, be they residents, daytrippers or campers informed about things that are happening that they should be aware of. We are obsessed with transparency, openness and honesty by those who determine what happens that shouldn’t happen, as well as those things that haven’t happened and should happen. WALKERVILLE BELONGS TO ALL VICTORIANS, NOT JUST THOSE WITH LOCAL INTERESTS.

Looking for something to do this Easter weekend?

Good Friday 6th April

• 8:00am All Day CFA You Beaut raffle
. Selling kicks off at Venus Bay, Tarwin Lower and Walkerville
• 7:00pm Official Tour De Tarwin Launch at Riverview Hotel Tarwin Lower

Easter Saturday 7th April


6th Annual Tour de Tarwin Bike/Walk Tour & Picnic

• 8:00am – 1:00pm Farmers Market at Venus Bay Shopping Centre
• 9:00am Registration outside Venus Bay General Store
  $7 per person or $15 per family* – includes tour lanyard and showbag
• 10:00am Market stalls, free face painting and live music from “Beggs To Differ”
• 12 noon National Anthem and start of the 2012 Tour De Tarwin
• 1:00pm Tour participants arrive at Tarwin Lower long table picnic area
  From 1:00pm: sausage sizzle, food stalls & more music from “Beggs to Differ”
• 2:00pm Draw of You Beaut Raffle and great Free Participants Raffle
• 7:30pm Trivia Night at the Venus Bay Community Centre

* Family = parents and max 3 children


Easter Sunday 8th April

• 9:30am (all day) Bare Foot Bowls and BBQ at Tarwin Lower Bowls Club

Easter Monday 9th April

• 8:00am Tarwin Lower Market – adjacent Tarwin Lower Community Hall

For more info please visit the official website

Things to note

Things to do

Bear Gully is not on a long sandy beach as such, but consists of lots of enchanting little coves with a mixture of sand and rock. No problems with swimming as there are dozens of delightful rock pools near the camp and normal beaches if you walk a little.

Walking opportunities are very good and you can wander for miles along the foreshores at low tide. There are extremely interesting rock formations about 4kms west towards the lighthouse. At low tide you can walk under a natural arch.

For more infomation on Bear Gully Camping Grounds visit this link.

Where: Stony Creek [Google Map]

Step aside Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, it’s time for the country folk to frock up in all their finery and hit the turf of the Stony Creek Race Course for their annual Christmas Party race meet.

Stony Creek is a picturesque country racecourse located on the South Gippsland Highway and their annual Christmas Party is a wonderful place for a great day out. Whether it’s for a work break-up or just a family day out, all bases are covered.

The program features special entertainment for children including a permanent playground, face painting and a special Christmas appearance from that jolly ol’ fat man in the red suit.

And I hear that the MS Auxiliary will start off its season of crayfish raffles – ‘the freshest crayfish available in South Gippsland’ so the claim. Got to be in it to win it folks!!

For more information on the Stony Creek Christmas Party race meet day visit this link.

We haven’t had the opportunity to stay at or review any of the options listed below, nor are we affiliated with any of them. But please do take a look, maybe there’s the ideal form of accommodation waiting for you.

Please make all enquiries directly via these links:

Walkerville North Beach Houses – Walkerville North

Bear Gully Cottages – Bear Gully

Liptrap Lofts – Liptrap

Walkerville Cottage – Walkerville North

Seaspray Beach House – Walkerville North

Blue Waters – Walkerville North

Spindrift Cottage – Walkerville North

The Coast House – Walkerville South

Binyara – Walkerville South

Sea Eagle – Walkerville North

If you have know of any other forms of accommodation that you can highly recommend please let us know.

During the book, Mabel Sharrock tells of her childhood days around Waratah Bay and the district of Ten Mile, writing of the country as she and her parents saw it about the time of the Great War. Much of it then was largely untouched with its native wildflowers, birds and animals and great paperbark swamps. She traces the history of the Waratah Bay settlement and its hinterland and describes the coastline of this pictureque bay lying between Cape Liptrap and Wilson’s Promontory.

It now offers a ever increasing spread of food and products from local suppliers and beyond. Not to mention an amazing spread of home made ice cream, gelati and pizzas. I hear curries are on the way too which will be a good winter warmer!

Just a note on there opening hours over the School holidays. It will be open on weekends in the July School holidays and Fridays if there is enough demand or especialy good weather.

For more info visit Walkerville Kiosk

A great little market held at Tarwin Lower on Monday June 13th 2011 for craft, trash, treasure and fresh produce at the Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall. Go along and support the local community.

Where: Foster War Memorial Art Centre Hall, 75 Main St Foster, Victoria 3960

A great little market full of fresh veges, fruit, fish, farm goodies and more. Held on the 3rd Saturday of every month at the Foster War Memorial Art Centre Hall from 8am until 12 noon. For enquiries phone 03 5682 1345