Construction on the long-awaited restoration of Flinders Pier – which has drawn the attention of naturalist Sir David Attenborough – has ceased after just five months, with accusations of mismanagement and growing concerns over accountability.
The heritage-listed pier on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula has been slated for restoration by the State Government since 2022.
In a press release, published on April 22, Parks Victoria said parts of the pier were “further deteriorated than a previous inspection report indicated”.
The explanation has been contested by community advocates, who argue the pier’s condition was well known before construction began.
Save Flinders Pier campaign leader Charles Reis OAM said the deterioration should not have come as a surprise, raising questions about the adequacy of planning and oversight.
“Any member of the public could see the condition the pier was in — it’s not unexpected,” he said.
Long-time Flinders resident Paul Doherty, who has been part of the local community for more than 20 years, echoed those concerns.
“Hard to believe all the studies and engineering assessments done beforehand didn’t show everything needing replacing,” he said.
Federal Member for Flinders, Zoe McKenzie, criticised the handling of the project, and urged the Victorian Government to continue restoration works, warning delays could ultimately increase costs.
“It’s staggering mismanagement. It will likely cost more to pack up and come back later than to just finish the job,” she said.
Mr Reis said the group had repeatedly raised concerns about the project’s funding and scope, warning the current situation pointed to deeper issues in project management.
The State Government allocated $1.53 million to the project as part of its 2022-2023 budget, however, Mr Reis says the Save the Pier committee was alerted to potential inadequate funding to complete restoration as early as April 2025.
“Victorians are outraged that the Government can start a project this small and not finish it due to what is largely a rounding error.”
“The [Mornington] Peninsula is clearly not a focus for the Labor government, so they couldn’t care less about either the pier or the community,” Mr Doherty says.
Flinders Pier is a significant landmark for the local community and attracts visitors from across Australia. The site is popular with fishers, divers and environmentalists, and its role as a habitat for the weedy sea dragon — Victoria’s marine emblem — has been cited by critics as further justification for urgent action by the State Government.
The restoration project garnered the attention of British conservationist Sir David Attenborough, who wrote to Mr Reis in 2021 expressing concerns about the threat to the species’ habitat.
“If I find an opportunity to draw attention publicly to the changes that now threaten the habitat of the weedy sea dragon survival, I will take them,” Sir David wrote to the group.
With works now paused and questions mounting, the future of Flinders Pier remains uncertain. Community advocates and local leaders warn further delays risk not only higher costs, but the loss of a culturally and environmentally significant landmark.
Photo: Charles Reis OAM, chair of the Save The Flinders Pier campaign, in front of the historic site. Photo by: Wayne Taylor
