Council rejects bridge over Painkalac

THE Surf Coast Shire council has rejected an application from a local business operator to construct a bridge over Painkalac Creek.

The bridge has been a contentious matter in the community.

Despite considerable local opposition, council officers recommended councillors approve the application, albeit with 20 different requirements for the developers to follow.

However, at the July 28 council meeting, Cr Brian Mckiterick was the only councillor to vote against an amended motion to reject the proposal.

Trail riding company Blazing Saddles wants to construct the bridge so horses could be transferred between their paddocks on either side of the river more efficiently.

At present, the company’s employees walk horses to another paddock via Bambra Road, Old Coach Road and Bimbadeen Drive.

However, many locals raised concerns including the bridge having a damaging effect on the environment and impinging on people’s use of public land.

Aireys Inlet and District Association (AIDA) president Charlotte Allen said the council’s decision was consistent with both existing regulations and the community’s wishes.

“Certainly, AIDA has been concerned about this proposal, primarily because of the inconsistency with the requirements of the Resource and Conservation Zone, which is put there to protect and conserve the environment along the valley.

“The other important issue is that those reserves along the creekside were put there from a past VCAT decision and they were put there as a reserve along the eastern bank of the creek exclusively for conservation and recreation, and the shire was to be custodian of that reserve on behalf of the community.

“Giving an exclusive lease to a private business over that land would be the shire breaching its stewardship obligations. So, we are certainly very relieved that the environment along the valley is going to continue to be protected for the wildlife and the community.”

Ms Allen also said she was hopeful the decision would also set a precedent for future applications.

“I would hope that this would indicate that council recognises it has a responsibility to protect that public land and that giving public land over for a private purpose is not something they can agree with.”

Anglesea Ward councillor Margot Smith moved the motion to reject the planning application.

At the meeting, Cr Smith stated while she appreciated the advice of council officers, she believed it was in the community’s best interest to reject the proposal.

“I appreciate that our planners have put a lot into working with the applicants and made their recommendation, I think what’s important here is that we actually look at what the community values overall.”

Fellow Anglesea Ward councillor Tony Revell seconded the motion and agreed the bridge being built would be a negative outcome for the community

“We must give considerable weight to the fact that what we’re looking at here is an application for a private asset over public land.

“There’s no public benefit, in fact, there’s a detrimental impact to the public.”

Applicant and Blazing Saddles owner Caroline Wood disputes this.

“The public benefit is huge. A lot of local kids have worked for us, a lot of local kids have got horses through us. Even in the lockdown at the moment, I’m getting school mums coming just to get a break at the end of the day to bring their kids down for a pony ride.”

She said the bridge was a matter of safety as well as efficiency.

“That first part of the road there’s no tracks, we can’t go off the road, we’ve got to walk along the edge of the road with horses in hand, and hope that someone is not speeding along the road or a bike spooks it or a kangaroo jumps out. We’ve had incidents already.”

Ms Wood said she would now challenge the council’s decision at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.