By BRIDGET COOK
AN ACTION group has voiced its concerns about the future of popular local fishing and boating sites if the proposed Port of Hastings goes ahead.
The State Government announced last month that the development of the Port of Hastings has been declared under the Major Transport Projects Facilitation Act.
The Preserve Western Port Action Group has now expressed their concerns following the announcement of the container port, which could attract up to 3000 container ships a year and could require extensive dredging of Western Port Bay.
Chairman Jeff Nottle said as a result, the economies of bayside towns including Tooradin and Warneet could be severely affected by the drop in numbers of people currently attracted to water sports, boating and fishing.
“Western Port as a favourite fishing, boating and watersports haven will be torpedoed and sunk by Mr Napthine’s Port expansion,” he said.
“Fishing will either not be allowed or will be unsafe in large tracts of the bay.
“Don’t fish anywhere near the shipping lanes with these shipping monsters churning through the bay – heaven help a recreational boat that breaks down and drifts into the shipping lane, these things do not stop.
“Famed snapper and gummy fishing marks such as the Western Channel, Lysaghts, Crawfish, Eagle
Rocks, Middle Spit, Tortoise Head Bank and the area out from Tooradin are likely to be destroyed or will be off-limits altogether, due to future shipping exclusion zones.”
Mr Nottle said he felt the amount of dredging required had not been made clear.
“The State Government’s claim that the Hastings Port is a naturally deep port is simply not true,” he said.
“These proposed container ships have a draft of up to 18 metres and with the required shipping lanes, turning, berthing and holding areas significant dredging will be required.
“A number of groups with an interest in Western Port recently did a tour of the areas to be affected by dredging. We were shocked and horrified at the extent of dredging that will be undertaken.”
Port of Hastings Development Authority chief executive Mike Lean welcomed the declaration of the port in the Major Transport Projects Facilitation Act and said there would be a lot of consultation with the community about the project.
“This announcement signals the beginning of the next three to four years of port planning, conceptual design and comprehensive study of the social, economic and environmental effects associated with developing the state’s next container port,” he said.
“In particular, we are acutely aware of the unique and significant environmental aspects of Western Port, ranging from the internationally-recognised Ramsar wetlands site through to the Mornington Peninsula and Western Port Biosphere Reserve. Understanding the existing conditions in the Western Port marine environment is the first step in this process.
“We are equally committed to having timely and open conversations with local communities and other stakeholders to ensure that every point of view is heard in this systematic and comprehensive assessment process.”
