When restoration works began on the historic Flinders Pier late last year, residents on the Mornington Peninsula were overjoyed. The campaign to save the beloved heritage structure from demolition had been successful – or so it appeared.
Now, locals are enraged after the state government’s promise to restore a timber section of the 320-metre pier fell well short of expectations, with Parks Victoria confirming this week it would not rebuild the full length of the pier at this stage.
Originally built in the 1860s and popular with walkers, divers, tourists and fishers, the original structure was most recently replaced in 1970. The site also provides habitat for the endangered weedy sea dragon, which is Victoria’s marine emblem, as well as the bluethroat wrasse and smooth stingrays.
“The community is gutted,” Save Flinders Pier campaign chair Charles Reis said. “Emotions are running very high on the Mornington Peninsula.”
Reis said the community was angry and puzzled about why the works would not be completed as initially expected.
The state government gave the community assurance the pier would be restored when it announced in November works had begun as part of an $18 million commitment to restore some of Victoria’s most historic piers.
At the time, the government said restoration of the inner timber section and lower landings of the heritage-listed pier would be completed by mid-2026. It also included installation of new piles, beams and decking.
“We thought the government had committed to the completion of the piles and given us every signal they were on board with its restoration,” Reis said.
He said the first 180 metres of the inner section had been removed and there were now two rows of piles joined with crossbeams.
“There’s no decking,” he said. “You can’t walk on it.”
The Flinders community is fiercely protective of the pier, which Reis described as a prized local asset. It also has some powerful allies.
In 2021, British naturalist and documentary legend Sir David Attenborough wrote to Reis, expressing his support for the local campaign to protect the pier.
“I am so sorry to hear of the threat to the habitat of the weedy sea dragon on the Mornington Peninsula. I do indeed think that it is a most wonderful creature and if I find an opportunity to draw attention publicly to the changes that now threaten its survival, I will take them,” Sir David wrote at the time.
Attenborough’s intervention went on to help bring widespread exposure to the plight of the pier.
At the time, The Age reported Parks Victoria had known for years the pier needed urgent repairs, but had left it to deteriorate before announcing its demolition.
Two years later, the state government committed to saving the pier and allocated just over $1.5 million for immediate repairs to its timber section.
But now Parks Victoria has confirmed the full length of the pier will not be rebuilt “at this stage”.
The state government body said when contractors removed the pier’s deck they found the condition of beams, crossheads and pile tops were much worse than the initial inspection.
They will install a balustrade along the edge of the concrete pier, which was built alongside the timber structure to increase the load capacity in 2011.
A Parks Victoria statement said some of the inner timber section would be rebuilt, and expected to open it to the community once work was complete.
Parks Victoria’s maritime and waterways director, Sarah Auld, said work was continuing on the timber inner section and work on the lower landings would be completed this month.
“The timber crossheads, beams and piles on the pier are more deteriorated than previously anticipated, which is why we will rebuild the timber inner section completely, rather than just repair it,” she said.
The state government deferred questions to Parks Victoria.
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Benjamin Preiss is The Age’s regional editor. He was previously state rounds reporter and has also covered education for The Age.Connect via X or email.