Queenscliff Music Festival organisers will turn their attention to November’s major event, before deciding whether or not to stage another By the Pier Festival.

The smaller three-day event, staged for the first time over the last weekend of March,  which has been hailed a success, attracted upwards of 2,500 people to the town.

“We're really happy with how everything went. We even managed to get the weather right for this one,” said QMF Director Andrew Orvis.

“There were lots of happy people, artists, crew and volunteers that enjoyed the return of live music to the festival stage in Queenscliff. We had approximately 2,500 people through over the weekend. We're really happy with that result for a first-time festival and with everything that's happened over the last couple of years.”

Mr Orvis said while there were always a few areas for improvement, By the Pier succeeded in its twin aims of bringing live music back to the town and giving artists a leg up after two years of limited performances.
Twenty-three acts – largely targeted at a younger audience - performed across the three days, with acclaimed singer Vera Blue providing a powerhouse Sunday night performance to a packed audience to close out the show.

“There were lots of really happy artists back doing what they love,” said Mr Orvis. “One of the big reasons for doing this event was to get artists back on stage, crew back working, vendors back trading, and people back to Queenscliff.
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“We'll look at all the feedback in the coming weeks… we’re going to wrap this year’s up, get cracking on QMF for November 25-27 this year, and then we'll have a look at what the future holds.
“We've also got some great shows coming up in the Queenscliff Town Hall that are worth checking out,” he said.

A long-awaited review of Queenscliff’s four Council run caravan parks has recommended sweeping changes to attract more visitors and boost revenue -  including a significant reduction in long-term site permits. 

The Draft Queenscliffe Tourist Parks Management and Operation Review, prepared by by Park Management firm Sustainable Park Solutions, includes 52 separate recommendations aimed at improving sustainability and guest experiences. 

The report calls for improved amenities and reconfiguration of all parks. It also recommends metering of existing long-term sites for water and electricity and cuts to 12-month permits - from 45 to just 16 at Golightly Caravan Park and 78 to 15 at the recreation reserve and Victoria Park. 

Some of the review’s most significant recommendations target the Golightly Park, which it described as being in a “stunning location” but with old and poor amenities. Proposed changes to that park  include new toilets, showers, kitchen, barbecue shelter, fire pit, bike repair station, improved car parking and  boom gates. 

At present only 15 of Golightly's current sites are reserved for casual campers.

“The 12-month permit sites are in many cases in poor condition and the caravans and vans are well over 40 years old and poorly maintained,” the report said. 

Recommendations for the 105-site Recreation Reserve and Victoria Park include a new manager’s office, the removal of two older cabins and installation of five new weatherboard cabins. 

Twelve of the parks’ 105 sites have long-term permits.

For the 98-site Royal Park, the review recommends removal of the portable office, a new amenities block and improved kitchen and barque amenities. The number of existing sites should be reduced to allow for bigger, more uniform sites, it said. 

In the 2018/19 financial year, prior to the pandemic, the parks together generated close to $1.8million before expenses in revenue. But according to the review, the average occupancy, nightly rates and yield of powered sites at all four are well below the Victorian average for tourist parks, chiefly as a result of Council’s inability to use dynamic pricing, seasonal packages and its “over reliance” on 12-month permit holders.

To address those issues it recommends  a higher marketing spend across all parks, better technology to improve booking capabilities and staff efficiencies and the establishment of a separate business unit to run all four. 

The estimated cost of the capital investment outlined in the review is $6.93 million. 

“In summary, the Borough off Queenscliffe under the recommended operational and master plan changes will have doubled their return from the business and also have paid off the capital works at the parks after 12 years of full trading,” the report foreshadowed. 

In response to the review, Council will immediately initiate a new compliance regime for long-term campers. Officers has also been directed to draw on the study to prepare a separate report on preferred operational models.  

“The trigger for this review was really about getting the model right so that we best manage the parks into the future,” said Cr Fleur Hewitt. “At this stage we think it’s best to get the model right before we consider moving forward on wholesale infrastructure changes.” 

The draft review, which cost $45,000 to complete, was compiled following extensive community consultation including an online survey which attracted more than 360 responses. 

“I don’t think the council has the appetitive to borrow large sums of money to invest in the caravan parks,” said Cr Michael Grout.” I think we can improve our compliance and that’s what we’re doing now… we can also make some efficiency gains.”
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The review can be found on the BoQ website.

A new kerbside food waste collection service will be introduced for Queenscliffe households from August, with food scraps to be included in existing green-lidded bins and regular waste collections to go fortnightly.  

The Food Organics and Garden (FOGO) Kerbside Service is a requirement on all local governments under the Victorian Government’s new Circular Economy Act, and according to Mayor Ross Ebbels, will deliver economic and environment benefits.  

“By composting our food and green waste, we’re avoiding expensive landfill taxes and the greenhouse gases emitted from organic matter when it’s buried in a landfill,” Cr Ebbels said. “I’m excited to start processing our food waste in a way that’s better for the budget, better for the planet and better for our community.”

Households will receive a bench top bin caddy and a larger 240 litre recycling bin to help with the transition. They will also receive detailed information on how to sort waste.

Under the new act, a fourth bin, for glass, will be also be introduced at a later stage.

A recent bin audit showed food waste accounted for almost 40 per cent of residents’ household waste. 
From July 1, the Victorian Government will be increasing food waste at $125.90 per tonne.

“Every tonne of waste we don’t send to landfill is a tonne of waste we don’t have to pay the Victorian Government’s landfill tax on. With this tax increasing every year, these costs will add up for ratepayers if we don’t manage our waste more sustainably,” Cr Ebbels said. “Composting our food waste will be cheaper for our residents over the long term by avoiding these landfill taxes.”

Under the changes: 

• The new FOGO 240L bin will be collected weekly
• Kerbside landfill bins (120L) will be collected fortnightly
• Kerbside co-mingled recyclables (140L) will be collected fortnightly
• A yet-to-be introduced kerbside glass bin (140L) will be collected once a month

According to Cr Ebbels, the switch follows years of planning and meets obligations contained in the borough’s Climate Emergency Response Plan (CERP). 

“We’ll be sending out lots of information and holding interactive presentations to ensure our residents are supported through the transition.

“I’m looking forward to working with our community in the coming months to make this rollout a success,” he said. 
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The Council recently joined other G21 councils in signing up to Barwon Water's  Regional  Renewable Organic Network (RRON) project - a new facility capable of collecting and processing organic waste into compost and fertilisers.

A new round of community consultation is underway to find a solution to erosion concerns at Queenscliff’s Dog Beach. 

The Department of Environment, Water, Land and Planning (DEWLP) held a public listening post at the beach on Sunday 27 March and has launched an online survey as first steps to developing a new Coastal Adaption Plan, in partnership with the Borough of Queenscliffe.

“The plan will help inform the long-term management of coastal hazards along the dune that forms part of the thin piece of land known as ‘The Narrows’,” DEWLP said. 

“Hazards at this site include storm erosion, which causes changes in beach levels and form vertical escarpments in the dune face, as well long-term retreat of the dune and ‘terminal scour’ at the end of the seawall. 

“Sea Level rise is expected to make all of these hazards more severe,” it warned.

Concern has been raised over the scale of erosion to the primary dune at Dog Beach, at the end of the seawall, with Queenscliffe Council late last year calling on the government for urgent action. 

In a final report into erosion at nearby Point Lonsdale front beach, the department said it had installed additional wave monitoring buoys in Port Phillip and was conducting regular drone surveys to assess sand movements and erosion events at both beaches.

That same report scrapped plans for any remedial works at Point Lonsdale, but committed to further action if public safety or assets were considered at risk. 
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Further details will be made available on the www.engage.vic.gov.au

Long serving Queensclife Councillor Susan Salter has been remembered as a devoted community member and leader, following her death on Wednesday 16 March.

The former Mayor succumbed to a year-long battle with cancer.

Leading the tributes, the Borough of Queenscliffe (BoQ) said Cr Salter’s near-decade of service was “marked by a devotion to her community and to the people who live here." Councillors observed one minute’s silence at the March general meeting.

“Renowned for her accessibility, Cr Salter could often be found discussing issues in depth with local residents and confidently supporting their interests on council matters,” a BoQ statement said.

“While her passion for many subjects was remarkable, Cr Salter’s particular interest in trees, gardens and parks saw her lead renewal works on the Borough’s Avenue of Honour and influence a number of other landscaping projects. From the grand old trees she worked to preserve to the newest green shoots of planting she encouraged, Cr Salter’s legacy will be in the natural spaces she nurtured that our community will enjoy for years to come,” it continued. 

Councillor Salter had not long returned from three months of personal leave when she announced her resignation on March 9 – just a week before her death.

A former Bellarine Secondary School teacher and ALP campaign manager, she was first elected to Council in 2012 and served as Mayor for one year from 2017-18.

“As a Councillor and Mayor, Sue was a strong, passionate advocate , a person who worked tirelessly for Queenscliff and its ratepayers,” said Bellarine MP Lisa Neville.

“Personally, for more than 20 years I enjoyed her friendship and her support, including working as my campaign manager.
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“Queenscliff has lost a true community champion, whose legacy will never be forgotten,” Ms Neville said.

Easter campers have been forced into an eleventh hour accommodation reshuffle after the Borough of Queenscliffe announced an immediate ban on further tree clearing and big rig caravans in Victoria Park.
 
The measures, part of a motion unanimously approved by Councillors at the the March Council meeting, reflect growing community unease at increased camping in Queenscliff’s original botanic gardens and the scale of vegetation removal undertaken in response to damage from last October’s significant storm.

The motion, put forward by Councillor Fleur Hewitt, called for an immediate end to further tree management works and restricted public access to areas that could pose a safety risk. 

It also called for an immediate ban on all future bookings of double-axle or ‘big rig’ caravans on the western side of the park.

“Council acknowledges the concerns raised by the community in relation to Victoria Park and the vegetation loss in the area,” said Cr Hewitt. “In moving this motion, we’re seeking to halt further works so we can better consider alternatives for managing the damaged vegetation and consider options for revegetation. 

“As a council, we’ll also need to look to establish a long term strategy for Victoria Park determining how we can bets protect the core environmental values of the park and set the appropriate nature and extent of camping needs for the future,” she added. 

As a result of the motion, Council officers must now prepare a plan for re-opening closed areas of the park within five months and provide a detailed tree management and planting schedule. 

A Council spokesperson confirmed that as a result of the motion alternative accommodation had to be found for some campers, who had already booked for Easter. 

He also defended the extent of vegetation clearing undertaken to date.

“The major storm in October 2021 inflicted serious damage on a large number of trees throughout the Borough, particularly in Victoria Park. In the weeks following the storm, Council commissioned an independent arborist to examine the health and safety of the trees in Victoria Park,” the spokesperson said.

“This independent arborist made a number of recommendations to trim or remove damaged trees that posed an unacceptable risk to public safety. Council’s subsequent tree works in Victoria Park have been carrying out these safety recommendations. While it is always disappointing to have to remove established trees, the sudden failure of limbs or entire trees can be deadly, and Council prioritises public safety in its tree management practices. 
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“Following [the] resolution, Council will pause works in Victoria Park and close affected areas to all public access while the scope of works is reassessed. Council is reaccommodating existing guest bookings at other sites wherever possible,” he said. 

Victoria Park is the site of Queenscliff’s original Botanic Gardens, established in 1868 - 17 years after the bigger Geelong Botanic Gardens - with the advice and support Ferdinand Von Mueller, who frequently holidayed in the town. 

As Victoria’s chief botanist, Von Mueller also founded the National Herbarium of Victoria and was first curator of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens.
 
Recent community efforts have been made to return the remaining 1.5 hectares of the original space to a botanic park and limiting any future camping to Christmas and Easter.  

"Victoria Park is one of three of the large public parks in Queenscliffe and it’s’ really important that we get the tree management and planting as well as the vegetation projections right if we continue to have public enjoyment of this area as well as seasonal camping in the park,” said Cr Michael Grout. 

​The motion called on Council to:

Cease the post-storm tree management program
Restrict all public access to the closed areas
Ensure all future booking that no double-axle or big rigs
Ensure a handout is given to all site users in relation to protecting vegetation
Prepare a tree management and planting schedule for the whole of Victoria Park within five months

The Borough said its existing tree management plan already included new plantings within Victoria Park.
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