East Gippsland Shire Council has started work with the Fort King community to develop a masterplan to guide future management and improvement of the Fort King area.

Council’s Manager Community Futures Wayne Richards said to get the work started an opportunities review has been developed, and consultation with landholders is occurring.

“The opportunities review focusses on identifying strategies and actions that may be implemented to achieve balance between environmental protection and enhancement, as well as some developments to improve community and amenity,” Wayne said.

“This is viewed as a long-term plan to support Council to seek funding for this work when opportunities arise.”

“We are working with the Fort King community on developing this plan. We have written to all residents and property owners and on 20 February held an informal drop-in session with 75 residents attending. We will also engage with the broader community in due course.”

Among the key themes shared at the drop-in session were:

• A need to replace and redesign the Fort King boat ramp and jetty.

• Erosion mitigation required for the northern foreshore.

• A lack of connectivity between existing walking paths, with varying opinions on the placement of an all-access path and seating along the western foreshore.

• Differing opinions on the proposed reduction of the north-eastern car park, with various suggestions put forward as opportunities for better use of this area, as well as views to retain the car parking.

• A desire to slash or mow the View St Reserve, noting that there are legislative requirements associated with this given the presence of protected vegetation.

• This is a long-term plan and any actions or works will be funding dependent. The Plan will support Council to seek grants and external funding in the future.

“There were a number of other ideas and views put forward. A summary of feedback received can be viewed on the project’s Your Say page Paynesville - Fort King Public Amenity Opportunities | Your Say East Gippsland. We will investigate and consider these as part of draft plan where possible” Wayne said.  

Work on the Fort King plan aligns with the Paynesville Foreshore Management Plan completed by Council in 2017 to inform future of development in the Paynesville foreshore environs, including Fort King. This provides the direction for comprehensive management and improvement of the foreshore into the future, and articulates the vision, environmental values, design and management priorities that have been agreed to by the community and relevant approval and management agencies.

Through the Paynesville Foreshore Management Plan, issues associated with the Fort King area were described as:

• Expansive areas of car parking and poor visual quality of the precinct around the Fort King boat ramp

• The foreshore reserve adjacent to View Street and Driftwood Place is not clearly sign-posted, and the significance of this area is not evident

• Lack of connectivity between the existing walking paths

• This precinct is underutilised and not easily accessed by community or visitors

• Absence of continuous vegetation and canopy cover throughout the wetland area and along the northern foreshore

• Necessity for protection of the wetland area.

Next steps

We are in the process of developing a draft plan for Fort King and will engage in further consultation with landholders and the broader Paynesville community in due course. These opportunities will be advertised. A Your Say page with all associated documents is on our website.  

If you have any queries in relation to the Fort King Opportunities Plan, please contact us.

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