MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have backed a proposal for the development of two factory buildings at Yaringa Boat Harbour in Somerville, as part of a larger boat manufacturing project, which will ultimately need state approval.
The planning application involves Hart Marine, a boat manufacturing company which plans to move from Mornington to the harbour marina, which it bought in 2018 with the intention to expand its operations.
Hart Marine, which has been based in Mornington for 45 years and built boats for Victoria Police as well as pilot boats around the globe, met with shire staff last year before making a formal planning application to the state government in April.
The permit application, for which Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny is the final decision-maker, seeks approval for two new factory buildings at 4 Yaringa Rd, as well as retrospective approval for existing boat manufacturing operations at Lumeah Rd properties, a seven-metre-high sign, a reduction in car parking from 201 to 100 spaces, and the removal of some native vegetation, located at 1A, 1 and 3 Lumeah Rd.
Council officers, who received the application on 31 October, submitted a position supporting the plan subject to conditions prior to the public notice period ending on 27 November to ensure its perspective was formally on record.
Councillors unanimously voted at their 2 December meeting to retrospectively adopt the shire submission, with the addition of a condition requiring the upgrading of Lumeah Rd and Whitneys Rd before occupation of any building at 4 Yaringa Rd.
The land falls within the Special Use Zone for Port Related Uses, with the shire confirming the proposed boat manufacturing was consistent with the zone’s marine service industry objectives.
The two proposed buildings would be 13 metres high with setbacks of 36.8 metres to the west boundary, 20.6 metres to the east boundary and 22 metres to the south boundary and a separation of 32 metres.
Council’s traffic engineers have supported the car park reduction but noted while boat transfers between certain properties have been planned, access for boats built in the western building at 3 Lumeah Rd would need to be addressed through permit conditions.
It also noted “inconsistencies between the submitted landscape plan, the location of the six silver banksia trees which were required to be planted following the removal of native vegetation, and the defendable space requirements of the submitted Bushfire Management Plan”.
“If this is not resolved, it could result in compliance and enforcement issues. This is highlighted in the submission to the Minister for Planning,” a shire report said.
If the application is approved, it would allow the relocation and consolidation of Hart Marine’s boat building operations on the site. The proposed industry plans to operate from 7am to 5pm on Monday to Friday with a maximum of 83 employees on-site.
Cr Kate Roper, whose Beek Beek Ward represents Somerville, supported the submission saying Hart Marine was a “very successful business” and an important employer on the peninsula.
She noted while some vegetation loss would be replaced and road upgrades would be necessary, “on the whole, this project is a permitted use in the zone and will be of benefit to the local economy”.
Cr David Gill also supported the application but said it came with “fairly big reservations” including that a reticulated sewerage system was not part of the plan.
“That’s almost incredible. We classify it as a metropolitan area with 24,000 houses or dwellings not reticulated. That’s a health problem,” adding South East Water “haven’t objected as far as I can work out”.
The Planning Minister will consider all submissions, including the shire’s before making a final decision on the application.
Hart Marine founder and managing director Mal Hart said his business had been working closely with shire in relocating its operations in its ambitions to create a “marine precinct” at Yaringa Harbour.
“Hart Marine had the opportunity to buy Yaringa Harbour in 2018 and has since worked tirelessly in rebuilding this dilapidated facility,” he said which included the Cptn Jack’s restaurant.
He said as a long-standing small business in Mornington, Hart Marine was excited to be working with local business and council “to truly bring this small but unique business onto the world stage”.
Hart Marine has also been a contributor of local education, employment, and regional growth, Hart said.
“Hart Marine and their staff support the youth and the kids of the Mornington Peninsula through the local school human powered programs to work experience and has had over 200 apprentices’ programs over the last 45 years,” he said.
The company currently has eight father and son teams with about 80 staff, many of whom live on the peninsula and have worked in this team for over 30 years, with Hart’s sons also working for the business.
First published in the Western Port News – 10 December 2025
