Mayor’s Column: Ross Ebbels from the Borough of Queenscliffe, August 13

THE Queenscliffe Hub is progressing further and it’s been great to read your feedback online.
The town planning process is now underway, and with that we’ve been able to show you the latest renderings for the building. This design meets the needs of all three tenants – the Library, the Museum and the Visitor Information Centre – and has been signed off and submitted by each.
There’s plenty of information about the Hub on Council’s dedicated webpage, queenscliffe.vic.gov.au/hub, which is where you can view the renderings and town planning documents in full size, play back the recording from Monday’s information webinar, and find some answers to popular questions asked about the design.
Work is also continuing on the maintenance of the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse Reserve, and specifically the historic Toc H buildings. In recent weeks, Council workers have cleaned out the inside of all huts, removing the couches, mattresses and myriad rubbish that had accumulated inside.
Council has since received permission from Heritage Victoria to perform further ‘emergency works’ on the huts after a spate of parties and gatherings took place in recent weeks. This includes the entrances to each hut being made secure, and having the building externals repainted to remove the graffiti. I’ve included a couple of photos here to demonstrate the effort which has been put in.

In terms of beginning works on the overall reserve, we are still waiting on the cultural heritage assessment to be completed, which must precede any major alterations. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, this has been subject to delays.
You might have seen on Council’s Facebook page that we are proposing a modification to two existing car spaces in Point Lonsdale’s main street to create a new disabled car park, allowing greater accessibility for all users of the local shopping strip. We’re calling on public feedback on the proposal – especially if you rely on accessible car parks or have a disability. To view the diagram and have your say, head to queenscliffe.vic.gov.au/AccessiblePL.
A reminder that a number of Council’s services remain altered during the current Stage 3 restrictions imposed by the Victorian Government. This includes the closure of playgrounds and skate parks, caravan parks, and the library. For a list of up-to-date information on Council’s services, head to queenscliffe.vic.gov.au/coronavirus.
Finally, I would like to give a shoutout to all the aged care and health care workers on the frontline, particularly those closest to us in Queenscliffe. Their long-hour shifts and constant time spent away from family can often go unappreciated. Our community has done and continues to perform remarkably well during this pandemic and it will take sustained cooperation from all of us to keep our local numbers low.
Stay safe, look after each other during this second lockdown, support local businesses where you can, and I look forward to seeing you around again soon.

Cr Ross Ebbels
Mayor, Borough of Queenscliffe