Mayor’s Column: Ross Ebbels from the Borough of Queenscliffe, May 21

WITH the recent spate of lovely weather and the gradual easing of restrictions announced by the Victorian Government, we are beginning to get some air of normality back into our lives. However, it’s important that we don’t give back any of the progress we’ve made up to this point. At the time of writing, there have still been zero confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Borough of Queenscliffe, and we want to keep it that way. Maintain your distance, wash your hands regularly, and keep up to date with the latest official advice at dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus.
From a major projects standpoint, the Queenscliffe Hub continues to progress nicely and we have now released a set of draft design plans that you can view online and provide your feedback on. Taking into account your suggestions from the first two rounds of consultation and extensive conversations with the building’s tenants, Kerstin Thompson Architects have produced a draft design that directly responds to community feedback. The Hub’s design retains the tree canopy and restorative feel of Field Park, along with the much-loved heritage façade of the library, while also featuring community spaces for meetings and lectures.
We really hope that residents will provide us feedback on this design, and we’ve made it easy for you to do so. Those interested can take part in the consultation by heading to Council’s website at queenscliffe.vic.gov.au/hub, where the detailed plans and a project summary are available to view. Borough residents will also soon receive a flyer in their letterbox, which includes a copy of the ground floor plan. Consultation closes on June 7.
While the sun was shining brightly on the Borough last weekend, it certainly wasn’t the case for the fortnight prior, and although the king tides and storm surges looked spectacular from dry ground, they also caused some significant damage to our coastline. The main damage suffered within the Borough was at Narrows Beach (also known as Dog Beach), where the tidal erosion fence became broken and unstable, while wave motion caused a nearby set of timber stairs to become loose. Council’s engineering team was able to work quickly to repair the damage in a safe and cost-effective manner, leaving us well-placed for future weather events.
Of course, part of what we value most about living in the Borough is its spectacular coastline and welcoming beaches, and Council is focused on preserving that environment for the benefit of many generations to come. When dealing with acts of nature such as these increased tides, we’re always looking with one eye to the future. This means ensuring that any works are safe, sturdy, reliable and need replacing less often.
Finally, I’d like to congratulate the staff members at the Borough who worked studiously to not only put together but then present our 2020–21 Draft Budget in a live Facebook broadcast recently. The medium was certainly new and it felt a bit like being on a television set with all the cameras around, but we wanted to ensure that the presentation was delivered in a way that was as convenient as possible to you, the resident or ratepayer, given that public attendance was impossible. If you haven’t yet watched the presentation and would like to do so, you’ll find it linked in the ‘Latest News’ section on Council’s website.
I look forward to speaking with you again soon.
P.S. – Don’t forget to give the ‘3225 Live Local Shop Local’ page a ‘like’ on Facebook. As more of our business re-open or alter their services to provide more to you, we need to show them as much support as ever.

Cr Ross Ebbels
Mayor, Borough of Queenscliffe