LONG-awaited repairs to the historic Flinders Pier could be set back or sections of timber piles left to deteriorate because of a lack of funding, Parks Victoria has signalled.
While the full 327-metre length of the pier remained open to the public, the old part of jetty, a 180-metre timber approach section, has remained closed since April 2020 “until a course of action has been determined” following the deterioration of piles and decking.
Planning for safety repairs having been under way since late 2022 with Parks Victoria applying to Heritage Victoria in January seeking a permit to deliver repairs to the 1860s-built pier. If a permit was granted – which was expected to occur early this year – works were then aimed to start after summer. But in a recent letter written by Bryce Raworth, a Melbourne-based heritage consulting company, acting on behalf of Parks Victoria, it warned that the pier had 54 supporting timber piles in need of replacement, but the work could be hampered by a lack of funding.
“Depending on the available funding, Parks Victoria may need to prioritise pile replacement and omit certain packages (of piles) from the scope of works,” the February letter posted to Heritage Victoria’s website, stated. “That is to say, the options are either full replacement of piles or the retention of select piles.”
The letter further explained that “at this stage it is anticipated that all existing piles nominated to be replaced will be extracted in their entirety and not cut”. “If specific piles are unable to be removed due to the poor condition of them, piles will be cut off 1m below low tide level. New piles are to be driven in accordance with the specifications provided by FSC Range, including minimum depths that they are to be driven.”
The cost to demolish and rebuild the 180-metre timber jetty is estimated to be between $3 million to $5.5 million with the state government having committed to providing $1.53 million. According to a condition-assessment report, alarmingly it stated that suspected termite activity was observed in the superstructure of the landside section of the pier, while “insects that resembled termites were visually observed nesting”.
It also said 25 per cent of the timber piles were in “poor to very poor condition” and the “most common deterioration mechanism was pile section loss and cavities due to marine borer activity”. Another issue raised was that the piles which support the pier had deteriorated significantly by up to 200mm.
Save Flinders Pier Campaign chair Charles Reis expressed concern about the future of the pier, noting a lack of funding “wasn’t good enough”. “Every Victorian is aware of the state government’s financial problems. But we can’t ignore the proper maintenance and repairs of our existing assets, especially those that provide an amenity to hundreds of thousands of Victorians ever year,” he said. “The Flinders Pier is part of our state’s history. The Weedy Sea Dragon that lives beneath the pier attracts visitors from around the world. The Flinders Pier is an iconic part of the Mornington Peninsula.”
According to Reis, money had been so far spent on conservation consultants for the pier, marine ecology consultants, engineering consultants, a condition report, an Aboriginal cultural heritage impact study, a localised heritage impact study, and two precinct conservation management plans.
“Nearly a gigabyte of data, and not a single nail has been hammered into the pier to keep it safe. I understand the importance of these reports, but we also need action to get the pier repaired and opened again to the public. It’s sometimes hard to understand what the government is thinking,” he said. Reis has urged the Ports Minister Melissa Horne to release more funding to Parks Victoria “so that the repairs to the pier can be properly undertaken and completed”.
Parks Victoria’s southern and maritime regional director Jodi Heath said Parks Victoria was repairing the inner section of Flinders Pier “to make it safer and more accessible, ensuring it remains a popular place for the community to enjoy”.
In a statement, Parks Victoria said if the Heritage Permit was approved Parks Victoria would publish a request for tender for the work to be undertaken. “The start and end of works will be dependent on the successful procurement of permits and approvals, availability of contractors and materials and weather conditions,” it said. The Flinders Telegraph Cable Complex and Pier were added to the Victorian Heritage Register in 2022.
First published in the Mornington News – 4 February 2025
