Sections of the timber safety rails around the Port Campbell foreshore decks next to the Norfolk Island pines will be replaced with wire barriers to improve the view of the bay.
Following stakeholder and community feedback, and representations at yesterday's Council meeting. Council has listened to the concerns raised and has modified the deck design.
Mayor Kate Makin said use of tensioned wire on the bay side of the three larger decks will improve views for children, wheelchair users and people parking in the majority of the Lord Street adjacent to the pines.
"The wire will be spaced at 100 mm intervals, in excess of building code safety standards.
"This high-quality stainless steel product is commonly used in marine environments for its resistance to salt spray.
"Installation will mean removing some of the existing steel and adding timber posts to accommodate the wire.
"Thinning of vegetation and extending the decks past the old footpath have significantly improved the view from the street and around the trunks of the pines.
"The result is better views than there were before, from the beach to the bay mouth and across to the facing cliffs.
"This modification to the decks will mean residents and visitors will be able to see views of the bay in some spots without having to get out of their vehicles. A big benefit of the project is uninterrupted views from your car from all Cairns St carparks.
"We are confident that once the decks are completed, with a choice of open and protected areas people will want to get out of their cars and take in the full views that this feature part of the Port Campbell project brings.
"Council appreciates the community feedback and is confident the end result will be a great outcome for the town."
Council also acknowledges the impact of the power box amongst the decks.
"Powercor required larger power boxes to house and protect the transformers and meters in Lord and Tregea streets. Council has been in contact with Powercor and is advocating strongly for more compact alternatives."
Also at yesterday's meeting, Council allocated another $500,000 to the project due to unforeseen costs and enable full project completion by the funding deadline of 31 March 2025.
Those costs related to unmapped asbestos and service infrastructure that required redesign, additional construction and program rescheduling.
The existing road subsurface was inadequate for reuse and required additional asphalting, traffic management and staffing.
Combined with an additional $500,000 allocated in August this represents variation of 6% to Budget.
Last week WorkSafe carried out a second surprise inspection of the entire project site, focussing on trip hazards and pedestrians and vehicles in shared space. The inspector found no matters of non-compliance but did recommend residents and visitors comply with the 20 kmh speed zone and other signage and policing.
The project is funded by $6 M from State Government's Regional Infrastructure Fund, $5.6 M from Federal Government's Building Better Regions Fund, and Corangamite Shire Council.
