Long Jetty progressing at long last

• Port Welshpool Long Jetty.

EXCITEMENT is mounting in Port Welshpool and across the shire that progress is finally being made on the long anticipated restoration of the Long Jetty.

The Long Jetty Project Control Group (PCG) met last week to discuss the recent funding commitment from the Federal Government. The State Government and South Gippsland Shire Council have long been committed to the project.

The PCG, made up of representatives from the Department of Economic Development Jobs Transport and Resources, Gippsland Ports, Regional Development Victoria, South Gippsland Shire Council and the community, discussed planning issues and project design, with a view to commencing works as early as possible.

A dedicated project manager will be appointed, and tender documentation is being finalised, which will necessitate an updated conditions report.

Acting CEO of South Gippsland Shire Council, Anthony Seabrook, attended the meeting. Afterwards he said, “We have come away from the PCG meeting with a clear idea of how the project will evolve from here. Council has written to the Federal Government to get a firm indication as to when the Commonwealth money will be available. The updated condition assessment will be undertaken prior to the project being put out for tender – and this can be done regardless of when the Commonwealth grant is forthcoming.

“Application for consent for works from Heritage Victoria prior to any works which may impact on the seabed being undertaken will now progress. At this stage, when Federal Government funding is confirmed, we expect that tender advertisements will go out in towards the end of this year. If everything goes according to plan we hope that works on the jetty should be completed by the end of 2018.

“The Long Jetty is a strategic piece of South Gippsland’s Corner Inlet tourism offering, and everyone at Council is very excited to finally be in a position to get on with the work involved in making the jetty available to tourists and locals again,” concluded Mr Seabrook.

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