By David Allen (RMIT Graduate)
The Victorian government has distanced itself from the stalled Williamstown Swimming and Life Saving Club redevelopment despite being responsible for the bulk of its funding.
Despite the club’s long expressed need to upgrade its storage and training facilities, the multi-million dollar project has been mired in a fraught planning process since 2021.
Current plans for the club have generated controversy due to the inclusion of a two-storey building with a function venue, gym, expanded members areas and facilities encroaching onto public land, but no upgrade for the aged pool and the addition of just one extra male and female public toilet cubicle.
There has also been confusion about the cost to ratepayers with some in the community fearing the Hobsons Bay City Council is already headed for an overspend. When asked for a breakdown of monies spent and the projected overall spend for Council, a spokesperson has said: “Approximately $1 million of the overall budget has been spent so far on design, permits and site assessments. The total budget is $14.529 million for which Council is contributing $3.0 million.”
But according to Council’s 2024/25 and projected 25/26 budgets, HBCC will contribute $5.5 million to the redevelopment. A council spokesperson says “The $5.5 million figure referenced reflects part of the total project budget allocated for this financial year, with funds from both Council/state government contribution.”
However a media release from Melissa Horne in June 2024 indicates council will provide $5.5 million as well as $11.35 million from state coffers amounting to a total of $16.85 million.
When asked at its Oct 28 meeting about the discrepancy, Matthew Irving, Director Infrastructure and City Services couldn’t confirm the overall cost saying “The final cost of the project will not be known until the full procurement process is facilitated, and that’s when we’ll work through the finalisation of budget against actuals.”
Mr Irving also says that the proposed redevelopment design is “in line with the funding agreement between state government and council.”
The Department of Justice, responsible for delivering the state government’s $11.35 million through its Community Safety Building Authority, did not answer questions about the terms of its funding agreement.
The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action also did not answer questions about planning powers for the Crown land occupied by the club.
The Williamstown Labor Party branch passed a motion opposing current club redevelopment plans at its August 15 meeting, despite funding for the project initially being pledged as part of Local MP Melissa Horne’s 2018 re-election campaign.
A branch spokesperson declined to comment.
Ms Horne has told The Westsider “The grant is intended to aid the club in resolving its current issues that impede the volunteers’ abilities to safely perform lifesaving duties.”
However, she says it was hoped that public amenities would be improved as a result of the funding.
“I would also encourage Council to look to improving the public realm around the club so there are better facilities for all to enjoy.”
A state government spokesperson who spoke to The Westsider says all aspects of the redevelopment, including its design, are the responsibility of Hobsons Bay City Council.
“We want to see this project get underway ASAP — the community has waited long enough,” the spokesperson says.
The state government’s lack of involvement in the project has left Hobsons Bay City Council in the position to approve or deny its own planning application for the redevelopment.
Council’s interim director sustainable communities Elise Ryder, told its July 29 meeting “While council is the applicant, legislation provides clear process to manage any perceived conflict of interest.”
“Councillors or a delegated officer will determine the application only after considering the statutory planning report and all submissions received.”
Council meetings across 2025 have heard regular public questions about the impact of the plans on parking, the encroachment onto public land, minimal expansion of or improved public facilities, and the Williamstown foreshore’s heritage overlay.
When asked at its Oct 28 meeting why the official heritage assessment has not been released to the public Ms Rider said the statutory planning team’s advice “is included in the officer’s assessment report when the application is ready for decision. Because this application is likely to go to a council meeting for a decision, then the assessment report will be made available to the public.”
Social media debate about the plans has been robust and sometimes toxic amidst accusations of bias, privilege and NIMBYism.
WSLSC President Joel Godde in a statement told The Westsider “To suggest we are a ‘private club’ serving cocktails is simply false and misses the point of our over 100-year volunteer effort to keep people safe.”
“Our current building [was] designed before the life-saving equipment we now rely on was invented”.
He says the redevelopment is about creating vital storage and training space.
Year round swimmer at the beach, Spotswood local Jess Marnich says “the current redevelopment proposal does not adequately resolve widely known issues with the public facilities at the western end” (where the Lifeclub is located), and says “the public facilities are not fit for purpose given the volume of people they serve.”
“With only two hot showers you can easily wait up to 45 mins to use one, which can be excruciating in the winter months,” she says.
The club site currently has two public access toilets, two cold-water outside showers, and two enclosed hot-water showers to service its hundreds of daily visitors.
Save Willy Beach convenor and beachside resident Paul Austin stresses that locals are deeply supportive of the club’s redevelopment but concerned about its size and function.
He says over 300 locals have hand-signed a petition calling for the redevelopment to be limited to lifesaving facility upgrades and a single story.
“The more people hear about the current plans [for the club], the less they like it,” he says.
According to figures provided by Lifesaving Victoria (LSV), the 500m stretch of sand which is Williamstown Beach saw over 146,000 visitors across the 2024/25 November-April patrol season.
The LSV data shows the club’s volunteer lifesavers participated in over 9,300 preventative actions, such as patrols and daily safety activities, 18 rescues and 18 first aid incidents across the period.
Community consultation for the latest round of plans closed on Friday October 10 and will be reviewed at a later council meeting.
A council spokesperson told The Age “Council has received significant support from the wider community towards the redevelopment as it currently stands.”
*Additional reporting by Barbara Heggen
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The Williamstown Labor Party branch passed a motion opposing current club redevelopment plans at its August 15 meeting, despite funding for the project initially being pledged as part of Local MP Melissa Horne’s 2018 re-election campaign.
Why have local branch of ALP got anything to do with this???