By Brendan Rees
Repair works to begin at a deteriorating wooden jetty at the Blind Bight foreshore is in limbo as the managing authority remains “unclear.”
The jetty, which has been closed the public, has missing and broken planks, and labelled “dangerous” and “unsafe” by Balla Balla Ward Councillor Geoff Ablett.
“Looking at it the pier needs demolishing,” he said.
“We’re investigating who’s responsible for the pier,” he said, adding “that’s still not clear, there’s no clarity around that at all.”
“Ensuring that we have a safe facility for our community is my main concern and I am working with Council officers and the responsible authority of the pier to achieve the best outcome.”
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) Port Phillip program manager of land and built environment John Downs said discussions were being held with the City of Casey to resolve management arrangements for the pier.
Resident Bob O’Connell said he was concerned about people’s safety as a closed sign had not acted as a deterrent.
“If someone stands on them they’re going to go through,” he said.
“There was at least a dozen Vietnamese people fishing off on the pier on Sunday and I said to them ‘do you realise it’s not safe.’ They said ‘we’re being very careful’.
“They’re walking up and down on the pier all the time. Sooner or later one of them is going to go through.”
Mr O’Connell added a plank down the middle had “completely rotted off and disappeared,” with “quite a few of the others badly rotten.”
“I’ve rung the council the twice and they said they would find out who’s responsible,” he said.
According to Mr O’Connell, drawings of the jetty were done about two years ago. “They were going to rebuild the pier and put a walkway down behind the cleaning table.
He believes there’s a “strong chance” pontoons would replace the jetty such as Tooradin’s pier. “It’s a real hazard… someone will get hurt there.”
Hastings MP Neale Burgess said DELWP had responsibility to maintain the Blind Bight pier.
“Following a meeting with a Blind Bight resident, I took this matter up with the City of Casey who alerted me to the fact that they’ve already been in discussions with the Department about the ongoing repairs and maintenance of this pier,” he said.
“I thank the residents of Blind Bight who have brought this very important issue to the forefront, so the pier receives the attention it deserves”.
