SES Winchelsea Unit thrilled to receive land from shire

SES Winchelsea Unit has thanked the Surf Coast Shire for approving the transfer of the land where its shed is based.

The shire has gifted excess vacant land in Winchelsea to the Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES), to continue to support the volunteer-based organisation.

Councillors approved the transfer of the 2,504sqm of land at 325 Mousley Drive at their July 2024 meeting.

Fronting the Princes Highway, the Winchelsea unit has been based at their current site – now gifted to them by the shire – for the past decade.

Winchelsea Ward councillor Tony Phelps was pleased that VICSES had recently signed an agreement with council, marking a key milestone in the process.

“I’m thrilled that we’re gifting land to VICSES,” he said.

“It will help the VICSES Winchelsea Unit and the invaluable emergency response work volunteers carry out in the community to help keep people safe.”

 

Unit controller Kris Jeffery said volunteers were pleased with the result and he thanked council for their generosity.

“Our VICSES volunteers play an important role in keeping our local Winchelsea community safe, and it’s critical we have the right infrastructure to better serve this community.”

The council also approved to sell a separate portion of excess land adjoining the site through a public process.

It is expected to be placed on the market in the coming months, following improvements including grass cutting and removing soil mounds.

“It’s 1.47 hectares of land. Given council doesn’t need it, it makes sense to move it on,” Cr Phelps said.

“The sale of the excess land will result in additional income for council and create the potential for better use of the land.”

The shire invited submissions on the gifting and the sale of land across a four-week period in mid-2024. No submissions were received.