FLINDERS Community Association has stepped up its Save Flinders Pier campaign over summer and is towing a mobile promotional trailer through holiday destinations along the Mornington Peninsula.
The Save Flinders Pier trailer with the iconic weedy seadragon pictured on the side has already attracted public attention in Rosebud, Rye and Red Hill; with Sorrento and Portsea next on the list.
Association spokesperson Charles Reis said the intention of the trailer was to raise awareness. He said the group is encouraging holiday-makers from other parts of the peninsula to visit the Flinders pier over summer to assess its condition for themselves.
“Parks Victoria is too focused on demolishing the historic pier; while most people who visit the pier agree that restoration is the best option,” Mr Reis said.
“Few people realise that Flinders has the only pier along the entire southern coastline of the Mornington Peninsula, and its historic and commercial contribution to the peninsula needs to be preserved.”
The association is campaigning to convince Parks Victoria that the pier, dating back to 1864, is a community and maritime asset that should be restored for future generations of Victorians.
The pier is home to a unique species of the weedy seadragon made famous by Sir David Attenborough and attracts divers from around the world.
First published in the Western Port News – 19 January 2022