Save Flinders pier: Plea to protect weedy sea dragon, dive site
Divers say the weedy sea dragon is as important to Victorian tourism as the quokka is for WA. So why is its home being torn down?
South East
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One of Victoria’s most popular dive spots is under threat because of plans to remove part of a historic pier.
A large section of the old Flinders jetty on the Mornington Peninsula has been declared dangerous and earmarked for removal by the state government.
Divers say if 180m of the 325m timber structure was removed the unique ecosystem beneath would be destroyed and the region would lose a significant tourism drawcard.
Scuba Doctor Dive Shop dive master and photographer Sam Glenn-Smith said the jetty was the best place in the world to see the endangered weedy sea dragon.
“In the international diving community the weedy sea dragon does for Victoria what the quokka does for Rottnest Island and WA,” he said.
“I’ve had people from the US plan a whole trip to Australia based around seeing the weedy sea dragon.”
Mr Glenn-Smith said the commercial fallout from the loss of the pier paled in comparison to the potential ecological damage wreaked by the move.
“We’re talking about ripping out an entire ecosystem that is home to an iconic species.
“What kind of message does that send about Victoria and even Australia to the rest of the world?”
Parks Victoria district manager for Port Phillip and Western Port Graeme Davis said the authority recognised the heritage and environmental values of the jetty and had commissioned a Heritage Impact Assessment and a Marine Ecology Survey.
“Removal of the dangerous section will not impact public access as the 325m jetty continues to be open and accessible for all recreation and commercial needs,” Mr Davis said.
The wooden pier was first built in 1864 and was believed to be the last of its kind in Western Port.
In 2010/2011 a concrete deck was built alongside the old jetty between the central vehicle turnaround and the shore.
According to Parks Victoria recent engineering inspections have revealed extensive deterioration to the adjacent section of the old jetty resulting from ageing infrastructure and sustained exposure to adverse weather conditions.
In April 2020 this section of the old pier was closed to the public amid fears it would collapse.
Flinders Community Association says more should be done to save the old pier.
“The pier is an important part of our history and a decision has been made to remove a large piece of it without any sort of consultation,” member Charles Reis said.
“It was once the main link to Melbourne with all goods coming to the region by sea and then off-loaded at the pier.”
A public meeting to kick off a campaign to save the pier will be held at Flinders Hall from 11.30am on Saturday, May 8.
Flinders jetty is not listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, however, a portion of the pier is covered under the Mornington Peninsula Heritage Overlay.
According to Parks Victoria the current timber jetty components were mostly constructed in the 1970s.
