Great Ocean Road Community Views Report B100 GOVERNANCE OF THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD REGION Community Views Report July 2018 i Contents 1. Introduction 3 Purpose of this report 2. Engagement Overview 4 Approach 4 This report outlines the community Who we heard from 6 and stakeholder views on the governance of the Great Ocean 3. Feedback 8 Road region. The analysis has Key Themes 8 been structured around the Feedback by location 12 eleven questions posed in the Feedback by question 14 Governance of the Great Ocean Road Region Issues Paper and 4. Appendix 1 28 from a place-based perspective at the locations where face to face engagement activities occurred. The Apostles at sunset. Source: © surfcoastimages Top 5 things people love 573 about the Great written responses Ocean Road region received Nature and 1 >780 environment face-to-face conversations with people 2 Identity and feel of 2032 local towns visitors to the website Culture, history 3 and heritage Location and 4 accessibility There is strong support for 21 establishing a new single briefings, listening posts entity to manage the Great Recreation and open house sessions 5 Ocean Road opportunities Great Ocean Road Community Views Report Introduction Project description The Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s most scenic and iconic touring routes Project timeline and one of Australia’s most recognised tourism destinations. May 2017 $1.3 million State budget allocation The governance of the Great Ocean In September 2017, the Victorian The Issues Paper was available for Road is complex and fragmented. Government established the Great public comment for six weeks and Sep 2017 At present, there are 30 responsible Ocean Road Taskforce (the Taskforce) submissions closed on 30 April 2018. Taskforce established organisations with accountabilities to review the current governance In support of this, a comprehensive covering strategy development and arrangements and recommend community and stakeholder Nov 2017-Feb 2018 implementation, land-use planning reforms to: engagement program was undertaken. Critical Issues and Opportunities and development, management •• strengthen protection of the Engagement activities were identification and administration, infrastructure landscapes undertaken in a range of locations delivery, asset maintenance, within the region as well as Melbourne Dec 2017 – Apr 2018 •• improve the visitor experience emergency management, investment and supported by online engagement Investigations facilitation, destination promotion •• provide greater certainty in via the Engage Victoria platform. and brand stewardship. Responsibility land-use planning. Mar 2018 for managing contiguous coastal Release of Governance of the Great The Governance of the Great Ocean Ocean Road Region Issues Paper foreshore, public open spaces and Governance of the Great Ocean Road Region Issues Paper Road Region Issues Paper was released parklands along the Great Ocean on 21 March 2018 to promote discussion Road is also fragmented with 11 Mar – Apr 2018 and seek feedback on opportunities different Corwn land managers. This Community consultation to improve the oversight and current management model provides management of the Great Ocean Road Governance of the challenges in planning and delivering and its landscapes. These opportunities GREAT May 2018 for the future in a co-ordinated manner. OCEAN included the establishment of a new ROAD Analysis of community feedback management model, the development REGION The Victorian Government allocated Issues Paper i $1.3 million in the 2017-18 State Budget of an overarching strategic framework Jun – Aug 2018 to ‘simplify the complex management plan, establishing a lead agency and Taskforce deliberations arrangements’ in a direct response improved funding arrangements. to the issue being raised as a priority This document can be found at www. Aug 2018 planning.vic.gov.au/policy-and-strategy/ by local communities in regional Co-Chairs Report to government assembly forums. great-ocean-road-action-plan Great Ocean Road Community Views Report Engagement Overview Stakeholder and community views were sought on the future management arrangements for the Great Ocean Road. Approach Given the large study area, and the number The Issues Paper proposed a new 6. Do you have any suggested changes and diversity of users, local communities management model and sought feedback to the overarching policy, goals and and visitors interested in the Great Ocean on the following questions: principles (on pages 40 to 41)? Road, the community consultation process 1. What do you love most about the Great 7. What elements would you like to see was designed to capture a wide range of Ocean Road and its landscapes? covered in a strategic framework plan perspectives, and to provide a wide range of 2. What aspect of the Great Ocean Road for the Great Ocean Road Region? opportunities and formats for participation. and its landscapes would you most like 8. What are your thoughts about People were invited to have their say to see protected? establishing a new organisation in person; via a written submission; or 3. What aspect of the Great Ocean Road to oversee the development, and online via a survey, online mapping tool or and its landscapes would you most like coordinate implementation, of a submission form. to see changed? Strategic Framework Plan for the Great Ocean Road Region? 4. Do you work for, own or operate a The Governance of the Great Ocean business, or are you a member of a 9. What current constraints need to be Region Issues Paper (the Issues Paper), community organisation, that benefits addressed in the future governance the consultation process and opportunities from visitors to the Great Ocean Road arrangements? to participate were promoted in a variety Region? If so, what are the key issues for 10. Are there any other management of ways, including on the Department of the organisation/business? models/options we should consider? Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) website, the Engage Victoria 5. Is there any critical issue or opportunity 11. What criteria should the Taskforce use website and DELWP’s social media channels that we have missed (in chapter 3 of the to evaluate the management model (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn). Material was Issues Paper)? options? also provided to the five councils, relevant peak bodies and local community groups ENGAGEMENT OVERVIEW ENGAGEMENT within the study area to promote on their websites and in their newsletters to their own networks and communities. 4 Community views were actively sought through face-to-face conversations, >780 briefings, listening posts and open house sessions. face to face Public open-house sessions were conversations geographically dispersed to capture the views of the distinct local communities along the Great Ocean Road, with sessions held in Torquay, Anglesea, Lorne, Wye River, Apollo Bay, Port Campbell, Warrnambool and Port 573 Fairy. A session was also held in Melbourne to capture part-time residents and holiday written home owners. A mandarin-speaking park responses ranger helped capture the views of tourists at the Twelve Apostles, and a mandarin version of the short-form survey was also available online. 2032 visitors to the website Community consultation, Twelve Apostles Twelve consultation, Community 5 Great Ocean Road Community Views Report Who we heard from Of the 573 written responses received, the majority were from Survey respondents were asked about their connection to the Great individuals (499). The rest were from community/user groups, Ocean Road region. Most commonly, survey participants lived government organisations, councils, peak bodies and businesses. A in the Great Ocean Road region, with regular visitors and those list of organisations who participated in the community engagement with secondary residences making up a high proportion of other process can be found at Appendix 1. Submissions and surveys are respondents. Note that not all of the survey participants responded available on the DELWP website (www.planning.vic.gov.au/policy- to this question, and this question was not included on the survey to and-strategy/great-ocean-road-action-plan) mandarin speaking visitors. Written responses received What is your connection to the Great Ocean Road area? Total number of contributors = 573 Total number of people responded = 306 Primary residence 81 Individuals Regular visitor 50 499 Secondary residence 48 Other* 43 Recreation 30 Local business owner 24 Businesses Employment 15 26 Community & User Groups Volunteer 8 20 State Government Attend/participate 7 ENGAGEMENT OVERVIEW ENGAGEMENT 14 in an event Peak Bodies 7 * Other included near neighbours, environmental groups, local government, Local Government employee of Parks Victoria or a coastal committee. 7 6 A significant number of respondents were from the Great Ocean The response type (face to face/written) varied depending upon Road area and from other parts of Australia outside of the Great location. More face to face conversations were held in Port Fairy, Port Ocean Road area. Campbell, the Twelve Apostles, Wye River, Lorne and Anglesea, while written submissions were the predominant response type in Apollo Bay, Torquay and Melbourne. Where do you live? Response type by location Total number of people responded = 573 141 25% Victoria Port Fairy 80 54 447 78% Warrnambool 14 14 Port Campbell 24 2 Twelve Apostles 153 0 213 Great Ocean Road 37% region* Apollo Bay 37 47 Australia Wye River 40 25 Lorne 85 20 Anglesea 120 68 12 2% Torquay 12 25 114 Melbourne 20% 12 109 Face-to-face Written Responses No Answer International *Great Ocean Road region includes Mayne, Corangamite, Colac Otway and Surf Coast Shires, City of Warrnambool 7 Great Ocean Road Community Views Report Feedback Key Themes There is strong stakeholder and community support for a new approach to the management of the Great Ocean Road region. Major change is required – A number of key messages emerged from doing nothing is not an option the community engagement process: Most stakeholders and members of the community that spoke to us agreed that major change is required.