Mornington Peninsula Shire Council is calling for land surrounding HMAS Cerberus in Crib Point on Victoria's Western Port Bay, to not be sold and instead be protected and preserved for conservation protecting habitat, bushland and marine life.
The position follows six weeks of consultation from a draft submission which attracted almost 300 responses from the community, with an overwhelming 89 per cent of community members supporting Council's position.
The Commonwealth Government is proposing to divest about 1,164 hectares of the site, including the existing golf course and surrounding vacant land. The main naval base and associated Defence facilities would remain in Commonwealth ownership.
The strong position from the Shire, adopted in Tuesday night's Council meeting, comes just days after the Commonwealth chose to save other defence sites from sale including Victoria Barracks in Sydney and Melbourne, RAAF Base Point Cook and Fort Queenscillff across Port Phillip Bay.
Regarding HMAS Cerberus at Crib Point, Mornington Peninsula Shire is calling for the land to not be sold and for the future use of the land to be primarily for long-term conservation, with only limited, carefully managed recreation, tourism and aquaculture activities that protect and enhance the special ecological values of the site.
The land sits outside the Urban Growth Boundary, adjoins the internationally significant Western Port Ramsar wetlands and is part of the UNESCO Western Port Biosphere Reserve.
Protecting this land surrounding HMAS Cerberus would help maintain an important coastal wildlife corridor linking Western Port foreshore reserves with the remnant vegetation of Mornington Peninsula National Park.
Mayor Stephen Batty said the Shire and broader community has a responsibility to protect these landscapes for future generations.
"The message from our community is clear. This land is too important to be lost to short-term interests.
"The bushland, coastal habitats and marine environments surrounding HMAS Cerberus are some of our most significant environmental assets, sitting alongside the internationally recognised Western Port Ramsar wetlands."
Warringine Ward Councillor Michael Stephens said the Shire's community consultation sent a clear message.
"Commercial divestment is not inevitable. Federal Governments can listen, change direction and protect public land. Our community has given us an equally powerful message."
Mayor Batty said following the Commonwealth's recent decision on other high profile defence sites, he is optimistic Canberra will hear the Shire's message.
"The Commonwealth Government has shown it listens to the community, we now call on Mr Albanese and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles to protect this internationally significant environmental asset for future generations to enjoy."
Our full submission to the Commonwealth Government is available on our Submissions to State and Commonwealth government page.
