Otway Forum Report
8th July 2018
OTWAY FORUM MEETING No. 314 - July 8 2018
Apologies Cr. S. Hart
- The Planning Ministers Panel on the Barham Valley mega resort has finally received more information from the developer/speculator.
- The Panel has now received a revised application that has been released for public submissions until July 27th.
- Requests to be heard at the Panel hearings also must be in by July 27th.
- It is anticipated that a second Directions Hearing will be held in late August.
- Then Colac Otway councillors will have to vote to support or oppose the application.
- The main panel hearing is not expected to commence before mid September.
- It is VERY IMPORTANT to review this new revised application and make a written submission if you are concerned.
- Many important issues surrounding the application remain unresolved.
- Visit the COS Customer Service Centre in Apollo Bay and/or the Objectors office to find out more.
- The Objectors group is looking for volunteers to staff the office and help with the Facebook page during this important period.
- VicRoads staff will be at Skenes Creek caravan park this Thursday 10-12am for a Great Ocean Road information session and tree planting.
- Please attend to also get an update on the planned Skenes Creek to Forest road upgrade.
- Three more local rock armouring projects along the GOR to commence in August.
- At least 15 other areas are also under threat of collapse or inundation and are to be reinforced.
- Back and front beaches continue to be replenished with sand from inside the harbour and the Pt Bunbury groyne area.
- About one metre from the base of the latest replenishment works was lost after last weekend’s swell.
- DELWP workshop reported that most of the sand, that has washed away from last year’s work, has not resettled on the beaches.
- Now the area where that sand was harvested is more vulnerable to storm surges and rising sea levels.
- If this cycle of rising sea levels and increasingly more frequent and powerful storm surges continues, there will soon not be enough sand for further replenishment.
- Our local State Gov. MP Richard Riordan to hold a forum on coastal erosion issues in Apollo Bay in early August?
- The state governments Victorian Coastal Council new report – Preparing for the Future, predicts sea level rise of 59 cms by 2070.
- With the probability of higher levels as the Antarctic ice sheet melt continues to accelerate.
- Project Control Group for a harbour redevelopment to meet this month for an update on the formal Expression Of Interest process.
- Large log trucks are still using Binns road even in wet weather and are creating dangerous conditions with at least one recent accident.
- With more tourists and locals using Binns something needs to be done soon!
- Safety vehicles in front of trucks? wet weather restrictions? warning signage?
Otway Forum meets 2nd Sunday of every month at 3pm at Marrar Woorn or find us at www.forum.apollobay.org.au.
Find out what’s really going on!
Peter Fillmore
Hon. Secretary
Otway Forum
0428 091 694