Another south-eastern tour for shire panel

SOUTH Gippsland Shire Council’s administration panel has undertaken another reconnaissance tour of the south-eastern end of the municipality, this time as far afield as the Long Jetty at Port Welshpool.

The panel’s three members, chair Julie Eisenbise and administrators Rick Brown and Christian Zahra, along with the shire’s acting chief executive officer Bryan Sword and a number of other senior shire staff members ventured forth from Leongatha on Wednesday September 11, 2019.

Ms Eisenbise said “we had a terrific time on this trip, with the added bonus of having a good opportunity to have discussions with each other on a wide range of topics while we were on the bus.

“We had a pretty full itinerary that day and the officers presented us with a comprehensive running commentary including the background and history of the places we visited, topical issues and also things that are coming up in the future,” she said.

“You can read about matters and look at stuff on maps but it’s all very different when you’re looking at places in real time.”

The tour included a short stop at the Agnes Falls at Hazel Park where a full report was called for, a glimpse at the information boards at the Long Jetty itself (but with no chance of walking out to the end that day!) and also at the Long Jetty Caravan Park at Port Welshpool.

The panel and the officers had a quick look on their way past at the Rural Transaction Centre at Welshpool, and the kindergartens at both Welshpool and Toora before another short drive around Foster.

A visit to the Yanakie Caravan Park was next, “where we were allowed to stop for a quick bite of lunch,” Ms Eisenbise said, and then it was off to Waratah Bay to inspect the caravan park there.

The tour included Sandy Point’s Community Centre, the coastal village’s present caravan park and the possible site of a new alternative caravan park in the future, a project to be the subject of council-led discussions with the local community.

The panel and the officers paid a lightning visit to Walkerville before making their way to Tarwin Lower and then back to Leongatha.

“This end of the shire is looking absolutely beautiful,” Ms Eisenbise said.

“With perhaps the exception of Administrator Zahra, Administrator Brown and I are newcomers to this area and it’s so helpful to be able to learn as much as we can about it and as quickly as we can,” she said.“On these trips, and there’s quite a few more planned to the other points in the shire we can ask the officers ‘is that hall in the council’s care?’ and ‘is this a council park?’ and find out what is in the council’s remit.”

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