NEWS DESK
VCAT nod for fourth Rye boat ramp Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au THE Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal has endorsed Mornington Peninsula Shire’s plans for a $1.2 million fourth boat ramp and jetty and renew three existing boat ramps at Rye. The VCAT approval gives the go-ahead to the contentious Rye Recreational Boating Precinct Plan, adopted in principle by the shire Council in November 2013, which recommended an upgrade to the Rye boat ramp precinct as a “short-term priority”. Finance is coming from a Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning grant of $588,000 with the shire adding $648,000 from its 2016-17 budget. It is believed a condition of the DEWLP grant was that the fourth boat ramp be built – a condition opposed by the Rye Community Group Alliance. The group’s leader, Mechelle Cheers, said its members were angry the shire had backed the fourth ramp when it would be “rarely” needed (“Safety first ‘crucial’ at Rye boat ramp” The News 14/8/17). Last week she said the VCAT decision was based on the fact that the area already had boat launching ramps “and so a per-
mit to construct an additional ramp should be granted. No account was taken of its possible impact on social amenities or the Rye community as a whole”. “No account was taken of the environment or the type of water craft being used there, and no account was taken of its impact on beach users.” Cr Hugh Fraser said the approval was “great news for the boating and fishing industry on the peninsula”. “At peak periods the Rye boat ramp is fully occupied and serves much more than the local community – increased investment to this facility is much needed,” he said. “An extra ramp and renewal of the existing ramps will reduce queue times in summer and, ultimately, make the area safer for users. It will be easier, quicker and safer to get all watercraft in and out of the water.” The $900,000 Rye foreshore landscape works will include a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk with beach access which will protect sand dunes and connect to the Bay Trail. The works will include paved plazas, rain gardens to reduce stormwater runoff, removal of a storm water outfall to the east of the pier and decorative lighting, the shire said.
At the front: Artist Eric Shepherd shows his oil painting of the WWI battle. Picture: Gary Sissons
Artist captures battle’s drama MT MARTHA artist Eric Shepherd has been commissioned to do a painting of a WWI battlefield for an “exhibition of premium art by the best Victorian artists”. His oil on canvas work Battle of the Somme will feature in the Holt Armistice 100 year art exhibition at Narre Warren Mechanics Institute Hall in October. The exhibition will be attended by ambassadors or representatives of the embassies of the countries involved in the conflict. Afterwards the artists’ works will travel around the major cities in Australia. Mr Shepherd, 83, said he put a lot of effort into researching details behind his picture to ensure it was accurate. He is aware of another artist’s work which
featured a rifle that, in reality, was not used in a particular battle and, in fact, had not been developed until years after. “About 30 artists will be represented at the exhibition which will display newspapers of the day telling the story of the battle, photographs showing the signing of the Armistice and letters from families to their loved ones,” he said. Afterwards, a book of the exhibition will feature prints of the paintings and a biography of each artist. “It’s all very exciting,” Mr Shepherd said. “It’s going to be a wiz-bang event.” Stephen Taylor
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Southern Peninsula News 29 May 2018
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