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© 2025 South Gippsland Sentinel Times

Don’t hold your breath for a new aquatic centre

5 min read

THE Bass Coast Shire Council is nothing if not aspirational.

The release of its Long-Term Financial Plan 2025-35 last Wednesday and a perusal of its ‘Engage Bass Coast’ website proves that.

There are literally dozens of projects on the shire’s drawing board, at various stages of study and investigation, but few are fully funded.

The Long Term Financial Plan (LTFP) has been put out for a limited period of public consultation, between August 22, 2025 and September 9, 2025, that’s just 13 business days to have your say, but is worth a read. You’ll find it HERE.

There are a number of feature projects identified in the plan including the former Wonthaggi Secondary College Senior Campus site redevelopment, aquatic centres at both Wonthaggi and Cowes and the Phillip Island Sporting Precinct.

  • The redevelopment of the derelict school site calls for $114.7 million in funding,
  • The two pool projects a total of $81 million, with Wonthaggi’s project first cab off the rank and,
  • The Phillip Island Sporting Precinct almost $10 million over the next eight years.

But don’t get excited about it yet. The future of all three projects is heavily reliant on securing State and Federal Government funding.

Despite the fact that the Department of Education is yet to relinquish control of the old school site, located on the corner of McBride Avenue and Watt Street, Wonthaggi, the Bass Coast Shire Council has commenced detailed pre-feasibility studies about property’s condition, structural integrity, heritage and safety.

And they’ve allocated $350,000 in the current budget to begin planning a project that could take decades.

“This funding will allow us to unpack some of the complex the planning constraints, establish the necessary frameworks to guide negotiations with potential partners and stakeholders, determine land use options, and further discussions with the State Government before Council can consider the site,” says the shire in the report.

Among the uses that might be developed on the centrally-located site include medium density housing, business and commercial development, car parking and the possible development of new shire offices.

Only one of the nine councillors said anything of substance about the Long Term Financial Plan, its list of projects and when they are expected to be rolled out.

Cr Ron Bauer stressed that the LTFP underscored the need for two aquatic centres while also supporting the Council’s own position, that a fourth rubbish bin was not needed.

“The two main areas that have been brought into sharp focus in this plan are the Wonthaggi Secondary School site and the Cowes Recreation Reserve. I would like to draw fellow councillors’ attention to the line entry on page 41 and I quote ‘Aquatics and Leisure Centres’ being plural,” said Cr Bauer.

“Although the emphasis is on Wonthaggi and I accept that, the Cowes Aquatic Centre, located at the recreation reserve, is still in the long term plan.

“There are other line entries in the plan that should be looked at, for example, the transfer station in Gap Road and the budgeted amount for the curb-side waste with $3.5 million being allocated for the introduction of the purple bin for glass recycling.

“With the glass recycling centres about to take white bottles, I hope that our officers’ advocacy to cancel the introduction of the four-bin system will be successful.

“We can then divert the $3.5 million into the upcoming curb-side waste contract and get the landfill red bin picked up each week from Christmas to Australia Day.

“We also could have one free ‘hard waste collection,” said Cr Bauer.

The Mayor Cr Rochelle Halstead ruled Cr Bauer’s efforts at discussing the substance of the LTPF out of order, but the Island Ward Couuncillor had made his point.

Now it’s up to you, the local ratepayers and residents, to say what you want to see from your local council now and over the next 10 years. You can contribute your thoughts HERE.

Shire’s 10-year wish-list

Here’s a breakdown on projected funding for major projects in the Long Term Financial Plan:

Aquatics and Leisure Centres (Wonthaggi)

  • 2025-26 - $500,000
  • 2026-27 - $500,000
  • 2028-29 - $8 million
  • 2029-30 - $20 million
  • 2030-31 - $12 million

Aquatics and Leisure Centres (Phillip Island)

  • “Future years” (>10 years) $40 million

“The LTFP projects that Council will obtain significant funding for the delivery of a major aquatics facility. Should this not eventuate, the project will be deferred.

Former Wonthaggi Secondary College Site Redevelopment

  • 2025-26 - $350,000
  • 2026-27 - 300,000
  • 2028-29 - $3 million
  • 2031-32 - $15 million
  • 2032-33 - $33 million
  • 2033-2034 – 33 million
  • 2034-35 – 30 million

Phillip Island Sporting Precinct

  • 2025-26 - $440,000
  • 2026-27 - 300,000
  • 2027-28 - 700,000
  • 2028-29 - $2 million
  • 2029-30 - $2 million
  • 2030-31 - $1 million
  • 2031-32 - $1 million
  • 2032-33 - $2.5 million

“Borrowings are appropriate for the purpose of funding or part funding large capital works projects that can be expected to provide benefits to future generations, e.g. former Wonthaggi Secondary College site, new Aquatics Centres and the Phillip Island Sporting Precinct.”

Other works and services listed in the LTFP:

  • Climate Change Actions $4M ($400,000 annually)
  • Cowes Activity Centre Plan $8.925M ($3M 2025-26 & $5.925M 2026-27)
  • Fourth Bin System/Glass Recycling ($3.5M 2027-28)
  • Grantville Cell 8A Construction ($3.618M next three years)
  • Grantville Landfill Leachate Storage / Collection Infrastructure ($4.466M next four years)
  • Phillip Island Transfer Station $13M
  • San Remo Structure Plan $3M/$5M (nothing before 2031-32)
  • Tracks and Trails Strategy $7M (over next four years)
  • Beach Safety Signage: ESTA Marker Rollout $44,000 (2025-26)
  • Coronet Bay (Fred Gration Reserve) Masterplan implementation ($1.05M next three years)
  • Disability Action Plan ($360,00 over 10 years)
  • Dog Parks $950,000 over 10 years
  • MTB/BMX Implementation ($500,000 2026-27 & $1.5M over 10 years)
  • Pavilion Upgrades and Renewals ($3.895M 2025-26 & $12.67M over 10 years)
  • Playspace Renewal and Upgrade ($3.6M over 10 years)
  • Skate Park Upgrades ($1.75M over 10 years), renewal $750,000
  • Smiths Beach Town Plan ($1.58M not before 2030-31)
  • Sporting Fields Upgrade & Renewal ($3.97M over 10 years
  • Bridges renewal program $25.3M
  • Buildings renewal program $44.3M
  • Council Computers and Telecommunications renewal $6M over $10 years
  • Light Fleet & Equipment replacement program $6.2M over 10 years
  • Wonthaggi Old Landfill (stage 1) 8.4M, (stage 2) $5.573M
  • Inverloch to Wonthaggi Trail $3.5M - 2025-26
  • Inverloch Recreation Reserve Irrigation and Drainage $1M - 2030-31
  • Corinella Angling Club Pavilion $825,000 - 2026-27
  • Thompson Reserve Pavilion Upgrade $2.4M next two years
  • Wonthaggi Football Pavilion $2.15M (project 2030-31)
  • Wonthaggi Netball Pavilion – 1.875M - 2025-26
  • Playspace - Rainbow Park Inverloch $1M (2027-29)
  • Playspace - Rainbow Park Inverloch $800,000 (2028-29)
  • Sporting Field Renewal - Wonthaggi Recreation Oval 2 $650,000 (2029-30)
  • Sporting Field Upgrade - Wonthaggi Recreation Oval 1 Upgrade $720,000 (2026-27)