Bells Beach elevated pathway trial postponed

THE planned trial of the elevated pathway to Winkipop has been delayed due to the postponement of the 2020 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.

Surf Coast Shire council’s general manager of environment and development Ransce Salan said the instalment of the temporary pathway has subsequently deferred.

“The World Surf League (WSL) has advised that all of their events up until the end of May 2020 have been postponed or cancelled.

“If the Rip Curl Pro takes place later in 2020, the council resolution provides for the WSL to erect the temporary pathway at that time. The WSL will not be erecting the temporary pathway in March/April 2020 as originally planned given the event is not being staged over Easter.”

The Surf Coast Shire council had initially planned to construct the pathway permanently as part of their Bells Beach Surfing Recreation Reserve Coastal and Marine Management Plan 2015-25.

However, sections of the community strongly opposed this, citing the potential visual impact of the boardwalk intruding on an otherwise natural area.

At the November 2019 council meeting, councillors acknowledged the opposition to the pathway and decided they would gauge responses to a similar, albeit temporary, pathway erected for the Rip Curl Pro.