MOYNE Shire councillor Jim Doukas will need to be patient, according to fellow councillors, after he slammed Port Fairy’s East Beach redesign as “ugly”.
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Cr Doukas steered talks away from finance on Tuesday night to take aim at the recent landscaping of the popular tourist beach near the surf club.
“I’d like to register my dismay at what we’ve failed to achieve,” Cr Doukas said, arguing no grass had grown on the slopes and new anti-erosion boulders were too large.
“The appearance is appalling to say the least.
“I am astonished we as a council agreed to do that landscape work without first viewing the plans.”
His comments got a swift rebuttal from other councillors and staff.
“Council did see the plans before we funded the works, but the works aren’t finished yet,” chief executive David Madden replied.
“No one is going to grow grass during a heatwave.”
Cr Colin Ryan said the large rocks had been placed at the beach as part of Port Fairy’s response to rising sea levels.
“Cr Doukas must have been in a bad mood when he went there. The placement of rocks was a result of the Port Fairy coastal hazard study that recommended them ... to avoid erosion,” Cr Ryan said.
Director of physical services Trevor Greenberger said works would recommence after being on hold for the busy summer rush.
s.mccomish@fairfaxmedia.com.au
