Port Campbell viewing deck obscures sea views

Last month Younis launched a petition requesting the council remove the wooden balustrade panelling and replace it with something that does not obstruct views of the bay.

She said the petition has received more than 1400 signatures. At the 2021 census, the population of Port Campbell and its immediately surrounding areas was 440.

Younis said the council had made some modifications, including replacing one section of wooden balustrades with wires. In some places, the height of the wooden walls has been lowered slightly.

Port Campbell, a popular holiday destination, is a short drive from the dramatic geological formations of the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge.

Younis said residents and visitors had previously been able to enjoy the views from their cars at the Norfolk Island Pines, which was ideal for people with limited mobility or during wild weather.

Port Campbell cafe owner Maria Gordon said the design of the decks should have been left more open.

“People come to a seaside village for the views,” she said. “It doesn’t need to be closed in.”

Corangamite Shire Council has contributed funding and design and construction works for the Port Campbell revitalisation. The state and federal governments have also kicked in funding for the project. It is part of the Shipwreck Coast Masterplan, which involves a series of rejuvenation projects at towns along the Great Ocean Road.

Corangamite Shire mayor Kate Makin said the spectacular views from the decks were only a few metres from the footpath. She said the lookout and picnic decks had come directly from a co-design process with the community.

“The windbreaks were specifically mentioned, so people could enjoy the view all year round, out of the southerly winds in the wilder months,” she said.

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The council said the cost for the Port Campbell town centre revitalisation project had reached $15.6 million, with $5.6 million from the federal government and $6 million from the state.

Makin said funding from the state and federal governments was granted based on the design the council delivered. “Major design changes would have been in breach of the funding conditions and regulatory approvals.”

But Younis said the project had fallen short of a key principle in the Shipwreck Coast Masterplan: “If locals love it, visitors will too.”

This issue might have some bearing on the coming federal election despite its hyper local nature. Port Campbell is in the west Victorian seat of Wannon. At the 2022 election, sitting Liberal MP Dan Tehan and his main challenger, independent candidate Alex Dyson, received 97 votes each at the small town’s polling station.

Tehan said residents had raised the issue with him, and he would meet them on Sunday to discuss their concerns and what courses of action were available.

Dyson said he had been to Port Campbell and spoke to locals “quite a few times” in the past month.

“I know this massive project has been challenging for everyone – locals, visitors, contractors and council – but especially locals,” he said.