AIDA urges Henderson to drop campaign for arch toilets

THE Aireys Inlet and District Association (AIDA) has urged Corangamite federal member Sarah Henderson to stop her campaign for toilets at the Memorial Arch on the Great Ocean Road.

Ms Henderson has been calling for at least two years for toilet blocks to be installed at the arch in Eastern View – a popular photo opportunity for visitors travelling along the road – to improve the tourist experience.

“The Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s great tourism experiences and it is embarrassing and untenable that visitors are going to the toilet in the bushes,” Ms Henderson said in October.

However, toilets at the arch is contrary to the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee (GORCC)’s plan for the site.

According to GORRC’s option paper for the master plan being developed for the arch, people toileting in the nearby dunes and residential areas is recognised as a major issue, but none of the three potential development options include toilet facilities.

“As well as there being little infrastructure or capacity, feedback from community and agencies suggests there is little support for installing public toilets at the site,” the paper states.

“The strategic direction taken is that it would be better to direct visitors and tour companies to existing public toilets along the Great Ocean Road to address the current issue at the site.”

In a letter to Ms Henderson sent last week and seen by this newspaper, AIDA president Charlotte Allen wrote that the association strongly supported a consultant’s report that ruled out toilets.

“We would like to think that you, as the area’s elected member, was also representing the views of our community, and AIDA was therefore surprised and alarmed to be told that you are still advocating installation of public toilet facilities on the Great Ocean Road at the Memorial Arch site.

“Our members have always sought to maintain the natural and low-key nature of our part of the Great Ocean Road – so different from other towns along this coast – and see the impact of what would surely be a large and unsightly installation as detrimental to this.”

It is not the first time AIDA and Ms Henderson have been on opposite sides of an issue – AIDA also criticised Ms Henderson’s support in 2016 for a full-sized oval in the Painkalac Valley, and took exception to the MP’s characterisation of Aireys Inlet “not (being) God’s waiting ground any more”.

AIDA’s full letter is below:

Dear Ms Henderson

re: Facilities at the Memorial Arch, Eastern View

I am writing to you as President of the Aireys Inlet and District Association (AIDA) – a community group which has been an entity for over 50 years and which represents the views of its 450 members and their families. You may recall meeting with some AIDA committee members last year prior to your meeting with the wider community.

We would like to think that you, as the area’s elected Member, was also representing the views of our community, and AIDA was therefore surprised and alarmed to be told that you are still advocating installation of public toilet facilities on the Great Ocean Road at the Memorial Arch site.

As you are aware, a community and stakeholders committee has been established to investigate the Memorial Arch site and its future in light of the continuing increase in tourist numbers and the impact this is having on the site itself and the local community – those who live close to the site, and those in the community who may or may not benefit from the tourist influx. Meetings have been held since November 2016 and community feedback has been sought through an initial survey and ongoing through the committee process.

This consultant’s report arising from both this survey and discussion with the community and stakeholders groups recommended that no toilet facilities be installed at the Memorial Arch site. Their reasons are as follows:

“In the local context, the site:

• Has limited, if any capacity to cope with an increase in infrastructure without adversely affecting the surrounding dune environment, visual amenity and or parking requirements.
• Is not connected to sewer mains, and therefore the only alternative is septic or self-composting toilets which are :
• Relatively large in size allocation due to infrastructure and number of toilets required for the user numbers.
• In-ground systems require excavation into an already fragile foreshore environment, susceptibility to storm surges; and
• Water intensive (therefore require a new water supply) with high maintenance and operating costs.
• Could encourage overnight camping in the car park.

In a broader context, the Great Ocean Road:

• Is at risk of exposure from inundation, storm erosion and coastal recession along this section of coastline due to sea level rise over the next 20 years and therefore puts into question the viability of additional infrastructure into these hot spots.
• Already has provision of existing public toilet amenities and sewer infrastructure in the coastal towns and visitor information centres in close proximity to the Memorial Arch Precinct which can be better utilised and enhanced so that visitors and tour companies stop in these locations prior to continuing along the Great Ocean Road to the Memorial Arch.
• Provides important commercial opportunities for coastal towns to benefit from longer stays and visitor spending during these rest stops.”

There is an inherent  need for better signage to direct tourists to already existing toilet facilities at the Skate Park at Aireys Inlet and at the Surf Life Saving Club at Fairhaven; currently not clearly signed, and which if  properly utilised should be adequate to cater to the toileting needs of the tourist numbers. There are also public toilets at Anglesea and at the Chocolaterie prior to stopping at the Memorial Arch site.

It should also be noted that the Committee for Lorne have in train plans for the development of the Grey Point Reserve to enable long buses to stop in Lorne. Toilet facilities are anticipated in this sewered and stable area of Lorne as part of this project.

AIDA strongly supports the consultant’s report in rejecting public toilets at the Memorial Arch Precinct. Our members have always sought to maintain the natural and low-key nature of our part of the Great Ocean Road – so different from other towns along this coast – and see the impact of what would surely be a large and unsightly installation as detrimental to this.

Future planning of the site should also acknowledge seasonal wave action and significant weather events and the impact this is already having on this fragile and narrow section of the coastline. The outcomes paper from the consultative groups seeks to address both increasing tourist numbers and protection of the dunes and their vegetation – this as a compromise to shutting the site completely, which was favoured. We urge you to fully support this long awaited and agreed outcome.

Charlotte Allen
President
AIDA