A couple of weeks ago I posted a question "Does Lakes Entrance stack up?" . Currently, the answer is unfortunately no. What can be done to solve this problem and to give the town a pathway back to the prosperity and vitality which it needs and deserves but which is self sustaining in the long term.
It was indeed good to read in the local press, that a meeting was convened last Sunday (Sept 9th) to discuss just this matter with some local businesses. In my view there are a number of avenues which will lead to this super highway of prosperity, some roads are easily managed, others will be a long winding route, but get to that highway we must, if Lakes Entrance is to survive.
The town must work as a team, all of us, residents, business owners and operators, clubs, societies, local leaders and our politicians. Enough of this fragmentation, back biting, refusals of some groups to discuss or talk to each other, cliques, self interest groups and the 'only in it for me" syndrome etc.. Yes, all this goes on and is killing the town. Stop now before it is too late. What is past is past, get over it, look collectively forward for the common good.
Our local leaders, politicians at all levels, and business groups must also come to the crossroads and start that journey along the single road to real co-operation, real consultation and effective locally themed planning both for the long and short term. This must result in real action, development, promotion and marketing using our public funds wisely and effectively.
Get over the bad blood, the old ways, the old school tie and mates concept of doing business etc. Bring Lakes Entrance into the modern era, if we don't, we will see more empty shops, more businesses walking away from the town, fewer visitors and indeed fewer prospective residents wanting to make this town their home. If nothing else, do it for our youth and give them a chance to be able to live and work in this area and bring up their kids in this superb region.
As I see it, we have at least one very large elephant if not two. One is the current Council Offices at Palmers Road and the other is the use of the Slipway Precinct.
Palmers Road Council Offices are currently under utilised and basically used as a storage facility housing only a very few staff, yet with one of the best views in the region. There are, I believe, legal issues with any sale of the land which has to be used for the public good. What better use could there be than for the Council to lease the site out on a long term lease for use as a resort which would attract visitation all year round to the town.
Each side of the entrance to, and below the main building has ample opportunity for cabins and/or units to be built together with recreational facilities for guests, without impacting views by building into the hillside and terracing the development. This could be on a staged basis and cater for all levels of accommodation.
Facilities could include water based activities even linking to the aquifer running close to the site for hot pools and being close to the existing Aquadome can only be viewed as an advantage. The main building could be and is ideally placed as the main reception complex with indoor activities, an onsite restaurant, cafe, games/activity rooms etc. for those times when weather detracts from outdoor activities. The possibilities are endless but the building has to be leased not sold to retain it as an asset for the people of this town and to comply with the legalities of its ownership etc. I am sure you get the picture, but this needs team work. I am sure some of the major tourism resort players would be interested.
The Slipway Precinct. Elephant number 2. This is already up for expressions of interest, and yes this too should remain as a publicly owned asset. But lets think a little outside the square. We need a Centre of Interest in the centre of town. We have it, we just have to understand it and use it to our best advantage. What about using the area for a multi-purpose multi-interest facility with some retail opportunities. Say a Discovery and or Heritage Centre displaying the following aspects of the town's life in an inter-active, audio visual, hands on style. There are others all over the world. Let's tell the story of:-
The Entrance itself, its building, the old steamer traffic, its use and the story of Cunninghame.
The Fishing Industry, its history, techniques, type of catch and its personal characters and vessels.
The Indigenous Culture and Heritage, that in itself is a huge subject not forgetting links to local flora fauna and sealife.
The Exploration of Oil and Gas offshore, not forgetting that Australia's first oil was discovered on Old Bunga Creek Rd and remnants of an oil facility remain adjacent to the top of Myer Street.
The Sand Management Scheme, in itself an interesting science of ongoing importance.
There is so much to tell, this would I am sure gain grant monies from not only public funds, but from the private companies involved. What is needed is teamwork, co-ordination, a real plan and passion for the town in which we live.
So there you have it, my thoughts and suggestions, I have to say I have voiced these before, but it fell on deaf ears and those who do not have the interest of Lakes Entrance at heart. Now is the time but the town has to, no MUST work together a a team. With teamwork we can save Lakes Entrance, without it I hate to think of the consequences.
In the meantime, we as locals should use our local businesses, and our local businesses should look after its locals like gold, it is local business that pays the bills in the quieter times. Every business should look at itself from a customer perspective and look into ways of providing top customer service, it costs nothing but time, but just might make the difference to having a customer or not.
There are more aspects to this but we have to deal with these elephants and have a plan, the smaller avenues of supporting events and promotion and marketing of the town can come later, we need to get this moving or our town will suffer. Let's Look at Lakes.
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