In the heart of Melbourne, the City of Port Phillip Council convened on a chilly Wednesday, 16th August 2023, to discuss a matter that has been making waves—quite literally—in the community. The subject of the day was the feasibility of a Port Phillip Swimming Trail. The meeting was a blend of bureaucratic procedure and impassioned pleas, all set against the backdrop of Australia's rich aquatic culture.

Council Officers presented the four options to Councillors on the findings of a preliminary investigation. The motion for this investigation was initially proposed by Councillor Marcus Pearl on 4th April 2023. The investigation considered various factors such as need, safety, partnerships with other agencies, wayfinding approaches, consultation, and indicative costs.

Four options were laid out for consideration: using existing navigational markers, installing new markers in swimming-only zones, supporting current open water swimming activities, and making no changes. Each option came with its own set of financial and logistical implications. For instance, installing new markers would cost around $700,000 plus project management costs, while supporting current activities would require a more modest $40,000.

The Port Melbourne Icebergs, a local open-water swimming group, were vocal about their preferences. They swim 500m in winter and up to 1km or more during summer, often using smartwatches to track their activities. While they acknowledged that a swimming trail could be helpful, they didn't see it as a necessity. They also expressed that motivational sayings on markers would not influence their choice to swim.

Elwood Life Saving Club had previously advocated for swimming markers to be installed within swimming-only zones. They, along with other stakeholders like Parks Victoria and Victoria Police, supported swimming in the bay as a form of recreation and physical activity.

In the end, the council recommended progressing with the third option: supporting current open water swimming activities. This option builds on the current established groups who have experienced and engaged participants. It also provides an opportunity to provide additional support for 12 months to these groups and to people in the community who wish to experience open water swimming.

Councillors voted to amend the motion to defer the decision on the Bay Trail until next year because the cost of $700,000 was unfunded in the current budget. The City of Port Phillip Council meeting was more than just a bureaucratic exercise; it was a reflection of a community's relationship with its natural resources and recreational spaces. And as the waves continue to lap against the shores of Port Phillip, the debate around how best to enjoy them rages on.

Rain hail or shine, whenever you go for a stroll along our beautiful shoreline you can always be sure to come across people chancing their luck doing a bit of fishing. Whether off piers or rocks in a boat or kaiak, people love the solitude or companionship of sinking a line, sinking a tinny or two when it's hot or a hot thermo cocoa or two when its cold,  just drowning some bait and enjoying the company and serenity of our stunning bayside waters. The act of actually catching a fish for most a secondary to the the pure enjoyment of being out in the fresh air either solo or with friends and family.

So to all the fishing people out there enjoying our waters good luck, enjoy the fishing and…. Please make sure to clean up before you leave.

Image by Sean Cummins - see full screen

A message from the School Council Presidents - Hannah Lawson & Elisa Webb

Dear Parents/Carers,

On Wednesday night, despite a petition with over 1,300 signatures and hundreds of emails objecting, the City of Port Phillip Council voted to go ahead with their plan to place a public toilet near the entrance of our school.  

As a School Council we are very disappointed with this outcome and with the conduct of some Councillors in the meeting (particularly Cr Peter Martin, who said that SKiPPS parents need to educate their children more about safety).  

We are not opposed to public toilets, but the location needs to be well considered and we believe that safety standards and cleaning regimes need to be above what currently exists elsewhere in the CoPP.  

To summarise the vote: 

• Cr Bond, Cr Pearl, Cr Copsey and Cr Martin voted to go ahead with the project
• Cr Crawford abstained from voting 
• Cr Consulo, Cr Clark and Cr Sirakoff voted against placing the toilets in the proposed location and to stop the project.

You can Listen to the Councillors discuss the proposal at the meeting on 15 June from the 1 hour 48-minute mark in the webcast https://www.facebook.com/cityofportphillip/videos/836525410663145/ 

We encourage any school families or community members who wish to show their continued opposition to the construction of the toilets at the site to write to the COPP Mayor, Cr Pearl, and the CEO, Peter Smith.

Marcus.Pearl@portphillip.vic.gov.au 

Peter.Smith@portphillip.vic.gov.au 

It is also time to escalate the issue to elected officials at the State level, and we encourage you to contact the Education Minister, the Premier and our Local Member, Martin Foley.

james.merlino@parliament.vic.gov.au 

daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au 

martin.foley@parliament.vic.gov.au 

The land in question is owned by Parks Victoria, so you can also write to the Parks Victoria CEO, Matthew Jackson, and the Chair, Hon. John Pandazopoulos.

ceo@parks.vic.gov.au 

John.pandazopoulos@parliament.vic.gov.au 

If you have any other suggestions or contacts, please get in touch with School Council via Michelle at

michelle.bove@education.vic.gov.au 

Andy Jacobs

In the bustling metropolis of Melbourne, the St Kilda Pier serves as an urban oasis for weary city dwellers seeking a glimpse of nature's majesty. Home to a thriving community of 1,300 Little Penguins, the breakwater has become a sanctuary not only for these marine birds but also for the city's residents and tourists. The confluence of concrete and ocean, skyscraper and sky, meets its most tranquil counterpart in the sight of these penguins returning to their burrows each evening.

However, Parks Victoria's recent proposal to monetise this experience through a pay-per-view scheme for the penguin colony raises important ethical and economic questions. As they undertake a $53 million redevelopment of the pier, officials are eyeing entrance fees that could range from $30 for tiered seating to $95 for a guided ranger tour, akin to the prices at Phillip Island's penguin parade. While the government purports that charging a fee will enable better management of visitor numbers and, by extension, the penguins' well-being, we must ask: should access to Mother Nature come at a cost?

The Dystopia of a Privatised Foreshore

Dubbed by critics as "CityLink for penguins," this move towards monetising access to natural beauty risks creating a dystopian future where the splendours of nature become gated communities for the financially privileged. Many argue that the foreshore should remain a common good, open to all, especially when it serves as one of the few free recreational opportunities for lower-income families. Volunteers have managed the penguin viewing experience with nothing but passion and commitment; their efforts should not be commodified.

The Economic Fallacy

From an economic standpoint, monetising public goods often leads to an inefficient allocation of resources. The marginal cost of allowing one additional viewer to witness the penguins is practically zero, yet the proposed fee creates an artificial barrier to entry. This is hardly an example of market efficiency; rather, it reflects a short-sighted grab for revenue at the expense of societal welfare.

The Social Contract Revisited

While the State has a duty to conserve and manage natural resources, this responsibility should not extend to erecting paywalls around public spaces. Governments are caretakers, not landlords, of our natural heritage. If the goal is to manage crowd size for the benefit of the penguin colony, then timed entries, a reservation system, or even a donation-based model could achieve this without excluding those who cannot afford the fee.

Environmental Stewardship Over Profit

Local St Kilda resident and long time reader asserted that “at a time when families are facing cost of living pressures and wanting a fun day in St Kilda, the fee proposal is the last thing that should be on Parks Victoria’s radar.”. He went on the say “We all know what happens to fees anyway. It starts with good intentions, but nothing ever is reinvested. It all ends ups in consolidated revenue.”

There are numerous ways to ensure environmental protection without commodifying nature, such as through better crowd management techniques, increased public awareness, and reinforced regulations against harassment of the penguins.

In a world increasingly dictated by market forces, the tranquility of a Melbourne sunset and the simple joy of watching penguins waddle home should remain priceless. To put a price tag on such experiences would not only be unfair but also profoundly unwise.

Thus, as stewards of both natural and economic ecosystems, our governments should resist the temptation to turn public wonders into private commodities. The penguins, and indeed the broader principle that access to the wonders of Mother Nature should be free, are worth far more than the sum of their potential admission fees.

Port Phillip Matters (PPM) has received much interest in this matter. Jenni Roper, local St Kilda resident, has summed up her thoughts on this:

"The pressing question at hand is the amount Parks Victoria plans to charge for viewing the penguins. There must be transparency on their part in communicating not only the cost but also the allocation of these funds. Specifically, how will the revenue benefit the local environment, the community, and the penguins themselves? Penguin-watching has apparently become a lucrative venture. As a 23-year resident of St Kilda, I've always considered it a privilege to take my children and visitors down to the pier to see the penguins, all without incurring a fee. This has been an integral part of our local community experience. I sincerely hope that Parks Victoria will refrain from charging local residents. However, if large tour buses start to frequent the area, as they do at Phillip Island, a nominal fee could be levied, provided that the collected funds are channeled directly into educational and conservation initiatives for the penguins."

Hester Reserve was abuzz when our contractors, working with Australian Bee Supplies (ABS), carefully removed the hive and placed the bees in a temporary new home.

“Many local residents stopped and congratulated us on the work to relocate the colony, rather than euthanising the bees,” ABS chief apiarist Andrew Stanish said.

The 1.3 metre high hive, weighing 25 kg, was revealed in a hollow of the Peppercorn tree after a tree limb broke off.

The delicate removal operation included vacuum extracting the bees from the tree and housing them until a brood comb (the beeswax cell structure where the queen lays her eggs) had been re-established in a temporary hive.

It took about 10 hours for the hive to be removed and the bees settled in their temporary home. They are now in their second and final stage of quarantine to ensure the queen is laying and the colony is free of disease before being moved to a permanent home.

There are three castes of honey bees: Queen bees (egg producers), worker bees (infertile females),and drones (males whose purpose is to find and mate with a Queen bee). They perform many different jobs including nectar and pollen collecting, cleaning cells after babies are born, attending to the Queen and even removing the dead (mortician bees).

Andrew said the colony is living the sweet life. “They are docile and happy little girls. They are bringing in nectar and pollen, suggesting babies are being made.”

“Most of them are girls. The drones are boys, they essentially eat, party and mate with the queen,” Andrew said. “Bees are just brilliant and have such fascinating behaviour.”

In a similar success story, two honey bee hives are thriving after being relocated to the St Kilda Botanical Gardens in 2020 after a Newton Court Reserve tree needed to be replaced.

See source statement by council here.

Annually, the South Melbourne Community Chest distributes proceeds from our OpShop, financial donations and bequests as grants to a wide variety of community organisations including environmental groups, after school programs, gymnastics, meal programs, and older persons groups and clubs within the City of Port Phillip.

If your group/club needs funding for a project that will benefit the local community and residents of the City of Port Phillip, you are encouraged to apply.

Applications open: 9am Monday 3rd July 2023

Applications close: 5pm Monday 7th August 2023

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Applications can be found at our website https://southmelbournecommunitychest.org.au/grantrecipients/#grantform

OR send a request to grants@southmelbournecommunitychest.org.au

OR drop into our shop and get an application form from our Shop Manager, Anita.

If you have any questions please contact Brenda Forbath on 0425 755 907

Brenda Forbath

Secretary 

 https://www.facebook.com/southmelbopshop

There is no doubt that 2020 was a tough year for all. As we recover from the impact of COVID and learn to adjust and adapt there still remains enormous pressure on household and small business finances. Stonnington Council should make the ethical decision to at least FREEZE rates this year. It is the only ethical response to our community. It can be done without cutting vital services. It can be done by making Council more responsible in it's spending and more efficient.

Why Should we freeze rates?

• Stonnington Council has enjoyed a 10 year boom in rates pre COVID.
• The impact on the community is far from over and will take longer to subside

How Should Council act?
Stonnington should (for once) begin with an efficiency target to reduce all expenditure by 5% without cutting any services. It should defer all non essential projects and fast track essential repairs to roads, footpaths and drains to keep local jobs (not external contractors) a priority. 

What projects should be cut?
Non essential and ambitious political projects like Prahran Town Hall - a $30M restoration that isn't needed when our open space has fallen to the lowest of any Victorian Council. 

Have your say?
First, you can and should make a submission here: Stonnington Budget Submission
Second, you can and should email all Councillors and tell them what you think.

Their emails are as follows:

Kate Hely
khely@stonnington.vic.gov.au 

Marcia Griffin
mgriffin@stonnington.vic.gov.au

Matthew Koce
mkoce@stonnington.vic.gov.au

Alex Lew
alew@stonnington.vic.gov.au

Polly Morgan
pmorgan@stonnington.vic.gov.au

Jami Klisaris
jklisaris@stonnington.vic.gov.au

Nicki Batagol
nbatagol@stonnington.vic.gov.au

Mike Scott
mscott@stonnington.vic.gov.au

Melina Sehr
msehr@stonnington.vic.gov.au