Councillor Brad Hill vows to investigate as mysterious excavator digs up Frankston beach
Frankston residents are demanding answers after a mystery man in an excavator was filmed collecting rocks from a public beach in front of stunned onlookers.
A mysterious excavator has been spotted on a Frankston beach and locals want answers.
The machinery appeared to be picking up rocks along the shoreline between Oliver’s Hill and Mt Eliza on Sunday.
Frankston councillor Brad Hill filmed the unusual works and posted it to social media, vowing to investigate.
“It was quite an unexpected surprise,” Mr Hill said.
“The beach is crown land. I’ll be referring this to the relevant authorities to follow up.”
Angry locals demanded to know what the excavator was doing and asked Mr Hill why he didn’t approach the worker himself.
“It’s simply not safe to approach this machine while it’s going,” Mr Hill said.
One man suggested the worker was collecting rocks for a gabion wall.
“OMG! So we can all help ourselves down there?,” another resident said.
However, at least one local came to the defence of the worker.
“He’s building a retaining wall because the council won’t do anything about the land falling into the bay, ‘cause the government is broke,” the man posted.
“But they will fine him for doing it.”
The unusual sight comes after the council threatened a resident with legal action after he built a sea wall on the beach in front of his property, without permission.
Businessman Gene Neill, who has acknowledged he did not have a permit for the work, said the retaining wall was needed to protect his property from erosion.
Frankston Council interim chief executive Cam Arullanantham said the council was aware of private works being undertaken along the beachfront on Crown land.
He said the council was working closely with the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) on “appropriate enforcement action”.
“Given the legal and privacy sensitivities, council cannot comment on individual properties or active compliance matters,” Mr Arullanantham said.
“Council’s focus is on protecting public land and ensuring compliance with applicable laws.”
Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke, who led the charge against Mr Neill’s seawall said he wasn’t aware of any approved works on the beach that would require the use of an excavator on the weekend.