SORRENTO business owners say council rules are preventing them from placing signs on Ocean Beach Rd to direct customers to Morce Ave, as they call for a practical solution to improve visibility and foot traffic.
The concerns have been raised on behalf of Julie Collins, a campaign organiser and owner of & Gallery, who has been advocating for improved signage to direct visitors from the main street to businesses along Morce Ave.
Collins said she had been calling for a solution with Mornington Peninsula Shire after one of her signs was impounded last month but had struggled to get a response.
She said a council staff member had provided the existing signage policy, but she believed it did not suit the layout of Sorrento.
“A shire-wide policy is not really fit for purpose in a town like Sorrento because none of the other towns have shops behind the main street as such,” she said.
Under the current rules, businesses are restricted from placing signage along Ocean Beach Rd, with permitted signage limited to the corner of Morce and George Streets.
“I realise that I haven’t got a permit, however… there’s no other way to alert people,” Collins said.
She said the issue affected a growing group of businesses in the Morce Avenue precinct, including her shop space which is subletted to 15 independent traders and a new community-backed cinema.
“All those businesses; people need to know that we’re here because people wander up and down the street and very few people come around the back side,” she said.
Tensions escalated recently when council officers placed yellow compliance stickers on signage in the main street in the lead-up to Easter.
The notice warned, “This sign has been placed contrary to the Mornington Peninsula Shire’s signage policy – please remove within 48 hrs to avoid possible legal action”.
Collins said instead of helping businesses find a solution, “compliance officers came down and whacked an illegal sign on our on our [A-frame sign] sandwiches, which was illegal, but there’s no other way to alert people”.
She said the timing had added to pressure on struggling businesses, particularly with skyrocketing petrol prices affecting customer spending.
Collins put a note on the sign where the council warning was attached, saying “Does this pass the pub test???” and “Have they been living under a rock… businesses are struggling at the moment due to petrol prices”.
Julie cited one example, saying the Art Motel Tootgarook had lost more than $7000 in bookings in the past week.
Collins said 150 community members had backed a new cinema project in town.
“If we can’t have a sign for the cinema and the other businesses up on the main street, then it’s basically just the council slapping all of those community members in the face,” she said.
She also expressed disappointment at the lack of communication from council with no response from the ward councillor, Andrea Allen. However, Cr Michael Stephens has stepped in to offer some support.
“All we want is a solution. The fact I now have to use social media is beyond annoying,” she said.
A spokesperson for the shire provided the following statement:
“Council is fully committed to supporting local businesses and we’ve invested heavily to encourage visitors to Sorrento in recent years, including funding for Christmas activities, and events such as the Writers Festival and Sorrento Fire Night,” said the statement.
“We also provide support for the Chamber of Commerce and Sorrento Beachside Tourism.
“We understand Julie’s concern about signage but have to be fair and consistent across every township and it’s in nobody’s interest for signs to multiply across the peninsula.
“Our investment in local businesses includes support to help them boost their online marketing, which makes signage redundant.”
First published in the Mornington News – 14 April 2026
