Venus Bay’s million-dollar campaign to save land

A South Gippsland community has launched a campaign to raise $2.5 million to buy a prominent block of land and save it from being destroyed by developers.

150 Lees Road in Venus Bay is up for sale. Picture: VICPROP Manningham

A South Gippsland community has launched a campaign to raise $2.5 million to buy a prominent block of land and save it from being destroyed by developers.

Venus Bay residents are rallying to buy 150 Lees Rd after the 40 hectare site was listed on the market a week ago.

The conversation started in a Facebook community group on May 15 and has since gained support by an overwhelming majority.

Resident Sarah Gilligan told The Bass Coast News the community hoped to return the land to its natural wetland.

“There’s a real opportunity for us who have been pretty fiercely protective of the environment down here for a long time,” she said.

“It’s time for the community to say this is what we stand for.

“Venus Bay has been tucked away and kept to itself.

“We can’t hide behind that as it’s been discovered but now we need to manage how people interact with the land.”

Ms Gilligan said the community was fearful of what could come if the land was bought by developers.

The site is home to kangaroos, wombats, echidnas and a world-class migratory bird habitat.

“Everybody is feeling the fear of what this means,” she said.

“Are we going to change? What’s this development going to bring?”

There are multiple restrictions on the land including a bushfire management overlay, environmental significance overlay, flood plains and farming zones.

VICPROP Manningham real estate is selling the land but agent Kelvin Leong said he supported the campaign.

“It’s a great opportunity that residents can really benefit from,” he said.

“It’s still at an early stage so we are in discussions about it.”

Mr Leong, who has been in the industry for more than five years, said he had never seen a small community buy land.

“It’s awesome to see,” he said.

Ms Gilligan said the next stage was to look at the feasibility of the project.

“I will continue to make calls and reach out to the community,” she said.

“But we need to look at the actual practicality of returning and restoring it to the wetlands.”

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