AN election promise of $3.5 million to restore Flinders pier has buoyed hopes that repairs to the deteriorating structure can be completed.
Liberal candidate for Nepean Sam Groth met with Save Our Pier representatives in Flinders on Wednesday to commit to the “full restoration” of the historic timber pier.
The promised money adds to $1.5 million committed by the state government in May to repair the first 180 metres of the pier.
Save Our Pier spokesman Charles Ries said a “piecemeal approach” to managing maritime infrastructure was not efficient, and Groth’s pledge of $3.5m to restore the full pier “makes perfect sense.”
“We’ve done our own assessments and we think $5 million should do it, or get pretty close,” he said.
In its July project update, Parks Victoria announced that engineering studies of the pier were complete and further deterioration had been detected.
Ries said he would be “delighted” if the government matched the Liberal pledge.
In 2020, the state government planned to demolish the historic timber section of the pier, but the community led a charge to save it and submitted an online petition with 40,000 signatures.
The Heritage Council of Victoria is expected to announce in November if the pier and cable station precinct will be listed for its historic significance.
Groth said that the Flinders pier was a symbol of maritime history on the Peninsula.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 13 September 2022
