The East Gippsland Shire Council voted at their 3 August 2010 meeting 5 to 3 in favour of proceeding to seek government approval for their controversial breakwater development at Bastion Point, Mallacoota. Councillors had just over one week to make their decision after receiving the final design and economic reports which have come under considerable criticism. See our Media Release and ABC news coverage, and Council Minutes.

Click on the photos below to see photos of the 60 people who travelled from Mallacoota, Melbourne and around Bairnsdale to oppose the development.

SBPC commissioned Economists at Large to review an economic impact assesment written for East Gippsland Shire Council (EGSC) by public relations firm Buchan Consulting Pty Ltd. Economists at Large concluded the serious methodological problems within the Buchan economic impact assessment call into question the validity of the results. Buchan Consulting is the fourth company EGSC has commissioned [...]

Save Bastion Point Campaign has presented an alternative concept for Bastion Point to East Gippsland Shire Council. It preserves the values of Bastion Point and enhances the amenity for users. This alternative is by no means a detailed design. It does however show that there are other better options besides the Option 3b breakwater development. [...]

East Gippsland Shire Council will vote on whether to submit their detailed breakwater and carpark design to the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Gavin Jennings. Since Minister Madden’s assessment, Council has made engineering drawings of their proposed breakwater development, and also has commissioned a further economic study by Buchan Consulting Group.  A safety study [...]

Almost 100 Mallacoota residents took part in a community meeting on 8 June 2010. They came to hear about the outcome of the  Supreme Court case, to be informed about the current design, and to discuss future action. People  left the meeting even more  determined to continue the  battle to save Bastion Point, and to have the Panel’s recommendations implemented.

The judgement on Friends of Mallacoota vs Minister for Planning and Anor was delivered by Justice Osborn on 27 May 2010.  Please see our Media Release in regard to the judgement.
The court case tested the legality of Minister Madden ignoring his own Independent Panel’s advice, which was to not proceed with this development and implement a lower impact [...]

Supporters from Mallacoota and Melbourne braved a cold Melbourne day on 12 May 2010 to present 1400 postcards to Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Innovation, Gavin Jennings.  Mallacoota-crafted sea creatures helped make the delivery.
The postcards asked the Minister to use his powers under the Coastal Management Act to stop the breakwater development. Spokesman Leo op den Brouw [...]

After just one day of sitting on 10 May, the Supreme Court has heard arguments from both legal teams, and we are expecting the decision to come sometime over the next weeks.
Friends of Mallacoota would like to thank our legal team for their great work, shown in the attached photo leaving the Supreme Court after [...]

On Wednesday 12 May from 10-10.30 am supporters will gather at 50 Lonsdale St to present to Minister for Environment Gavin Jennings 1400 postcards opposing the development at Bastion Point.  Members of the public are welcome to attend.

Please download our new Lobby Kit to see how you can help our campaign!