Apollo Bay, Victoria - on the Great Ocean Road

Home Meeting Reports Special Reports Harbour Redevelopment Links Contacts

About us                                                                    

Otway Forum is a community organisation to which everyone is welcome.  Its objective is to act as an information channel between ratepayers and residents and the Colac Otway Council, by expressing Public Opinion, and to keep the community informed.  The Otway Forum was formed in 1990 following the release of the 'first' Harbour Plan, and has been meeting monthly ever since.  Regular reports are published in the Apollo Bay News Sheet

Meetings

Otway Forum normally meets at 3.00pm on the second Sunday of each month at the Community House, "Marrar Woorn" in Pengilley Avenue, Apollo Bay.  Check the Apollo Bay News sheet for details.

The next meeting will be held on Sunday 12 February at “Marrar Woorn” at 3:00pm.  
Come along and have your say on local issues.

Otway Forum proposal for Harbour redevelopment
For more information see Harbour Redevelopment in navigation menu

OTWAY FORUM MEETING No. 239
8 January 2012

report

Mayor Stephen Hart and Councillor Stuart Hart in attendance

 At Dec. COS council meeting, council officers tabled a report and recommendations on the AB Aquatic Centre Feasibility Study.

....

Councillors and officers are meeting the Fire Services Committee this week and will raise the issues of a fire warning siren and fire danger warning signs in Apollo Bay and COS. Lorne has been approved for a fire siren trial.  Concerns have been raised about liability issues if not every person can hear a siren, however Otway Forum believes any form of warning is better than none at all !!

A new coastal management plan will be released for public comment this week by OCC. However they are still waiting on funding for another report on what to do about the increasing erosion issues at Apollo Bay front beach and Mounts Bay which is threatening the GOR and other infrastructure.  

Read the full report here

Report of Colac Otway Shire Council meeting

Held on Wednesday 23 October at the Senior Citizens rooms, 4 Whelan Street,  Apollo Bay

At yesterdays COS monthly council meeting, CEO Rob Small confirmed a letter was sent nine weeks ago to Tourism Victoria, seeking confirmation that funding would be made available for a harbour redevelopment at Apollo Bay.

 He also stated that despite repeated emails no such commitment is yet to be made.

Otway Forum spokesman, Peter Fillmore, stated that -

 “There appears to be a very big question mark hanging over this unpopular resort based redevelopment plan.”
“Sending a letter to the bureaucrats at Tourism Victoria is a complete waste of time. A $26 million investment of public funds will require authorisation from the state cabinet.”

“The forum urges local member, Terry Mulder, to step in and stop the gross waste of $250,000 of state government money that will be spent on a planning scheme amendment, for proposal that in all likelihood will never proceed.”

“Now that the Apollo Bay golf club has been assured a new lease on its current title, the 2008 resort based redevelopment plan, is no longer relevant.”

“The mayor should show some leadership and direct council planning officers to concentrate their efforts on facilitating a heated public pool in Apollo Bay, instead of trying to be resort developers.”

“Council yesterday also adopted its Public Open Spaces Strategy, which references the harbour precinct. However it does not include any reference to a resort on public land at the harbour.”

Next Council meeting:

Wednesday 25 January Time 6.00 pm @ COPPAC, Colac
the meeting on Wednesday 22 February will be held in Apollo Bay at 3.00 pm