Committee for Lorne: Who should have jurisdiction within a town boundary?

It troubles me to watch the creeping purview of unelected bureaucracy across and into the defined boundaries of our Surf Coast towns and villages. 

Some in Lorne may have seen the article in the Surf Coast Times [Page 7: 1/9/23] titled “COAST CHANGE: GORCAPA starts land transfer process at Anglesea” — though the same ‘land transfer’ [some may read ‘land grab’ is occurring at Aireys Inlet.  In part, the text reads:

“Anglesea and Aireys Inlet will be the first Great Ocean Road communities to have their community assets transferred to the region’s new public land manager, with public consultation on the changes underway.

The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA) has begun meeting with affected community groups and will consult more broadly with residents starting this weekend.

Anglesea stakeholders have convened a series of meetings in recent weeks amid concerns about how the change will impact their usual events and activities.

The Authority insists users will not experience any change to the way they use the affected areas.

The CEO of GORCAPA, Jodie Sizer, said this week that “… the authority looked forward to continuing engagement in the coming weeks.  We are committed to working closely with the community and stakeholders to understand their current interests and future aspirations for the area.  The Anglesea and Aireys Inlet communities are passionate about the future of their local area management and have been generous with their time and shared knowledge.  We look forward to continuing these important conversations and building trusted relationships to ensure we best deliver on our purpose to care for, protect and manage the coast and parks along the full length of the Great Ocean Road.”

The transfer will include land presently managed by Surf Coast Shire and other state government agencies, primarily the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.  Anglesea community facilities affected by the change include the town’s Tennis Club, Bowling Club, Men’s Shed, Lions Park, Visitor Information Centre, Moonah Park Playground and Loveridge Lookout.  Aireys Inlet Recreation Reserve and Bushland Reserve will also change hands. 

The authority will have responsibility for the coast and parks along the full length of the Great Ocean by November 2025.

The Chair of the recent community meetings, Peter Doyle, said this week that “… local residents wanted to broker a transparent transfer process.  There’s a real need and desire for all our communities to have an open and trusting relationship with GORCAPA.  We want a relationship that works.”

The problems with reports like this lie in the subtexts — the things that are not said or the spin that lurks in the palliative language … often on both sides.  As one side seeks to calm and stupefy, the other tries not to make waves that might make things worse than they may already be.

“… look[ing] forward to continuing engagement” — often means — “… as the decisions are made, all we now have to do is wait till the community noise dies down”.

“… the Authority insists users will not experience any change to the way they use the affected areas” — can disguise the intent for licences, fees, and other bureaucratic overlays to be imposed.

“… we are committed to working closely with the community and stakeholders to understand their current interests and future aspirations” — is administrative code for ‘hold a community meeting [or two] to allow the steam to diffuse, then proceed as previously planned.’

Finally, while the community’s response: “… there’s a real need and a real desire for all our communities to be in an open and trusting relationship with GORCAPA.  We want a relationship that works” — is correct and looks good on paper, it is too often said in naïve hope and its ‘sense of cooperation’ too often fails the ‘pub test’ when put into practice.

Perhaps mistakenly, I had always thought that a town boundary meant the area contained within was the responsibility of its elected town representatives — in our surf coast towns, our elected councillors at the Surf Coast Shire Council.  Suddenly, we find an unelected and overarching government body muscling in to take control of the coast, beaches, and beach-oriented recreational areas within the municipal boundaries of each of our towns … our most-loved places!  To my simple mind, that is wrong.

We are reassured that this is all just fine — but it’s not — for our elected representatives no longer have any say in managing these spaces. 

‘It’ll be just fine’, they tell us, ‘it will provide uniformity along the coast.’  But isn’t the individuality of each town and its landscape the whole charm of the coast?

Take Lorne as an example.  Note there is a ‘town boundary’ [see enclosed map and note the dotted perimeter line].  In most minds, this would generally indicate the area of prime responsibility for its local council [in Lorne’s case, the Surf Coast Shire].  Contained within this indicative area are public open spaces, recreation reserves, and other amenities that, in any other jurisdiction, might also reasonably be expected to be managed by the local elected council. 

But now we have a mishmash of responsibilities.  What is under the Shire [and councillor] responsibility, and what falls to GORCAPA?  As one bizarre example, townsfolk in Lorne will have noted the new footbridge ~5m downstream of the Erskine River bridge.  It has recently been replaced [at significant cost] under the Surf Coast Shire’s ten-year asset management renewal program.  But the older footbridge ~5m upstream now falls under the management of GORCAPA.  Go figure!

In my view — shared, I know, by some — any land and its content that falls within a town boundary should be the bailiwick of its town council.  Divided responsibilities never end well. 

I believe Lorne and Apollo Bay are next on GORCAPA’s list for ‘land transfer’ [read ‘land grab’] in mid-2024.  Some may find that a few of the assets on its list and that it seeks to control may disturb — and in at least one case, totally mystify.  GORCAPA should at least give early warning of its intentions.  To do otherwise is to treat the town with contempt.

John Agar

A word from the Chairman