UPDATE 6 DEC: St Kilda Pier opens Saturday, free penguin viewing coming soonish
The redeveloped St Kilda Pier will open this weekend with local MP Nina Taylor hosting a walk through on Saturday 7 December @ 10.30 am (weather permitting).
The other big news is that (as reported in The Age on Tuesday), the tickets to using the penguin viewing platform will be free and not $24 as initially proposed. But it’s not clear when this will start.
Meanwhile, the EarthCare volunteers are still unsure of their role. Apparently, the government will support their penguin research but not the volunteer guides.
From another reliable source, some dead penguins have been found in the marina area over recent weeks, but this is common after the stress of the hectic breeding season.
It’s a hard life being an urban penguin.
Plans for a State Government Minister to officially open the newly redeveloped St Kilda Pier on Saturday 30 November were abandoned as a local backlash brewed over new fees to visit the pier’s purpose-built penguin viewing platform.
TWiSK understands that the government is set to announce a $24 per head ticket to visit the Pier’s Penguin Viewing Platform in a scheme managed by Phillip Island Nature Parks (PINP), the state appointed body that operates the famous and spectacular Phillip Island Penguin Parade.
Local knowledge overlooked
The St Kilda Pier breakwater is home to a thriving colony of Little Penguins that have been researched, supported and protected by EarthCare St Kilda volunteers for over 30 years.
With over 180 volunteer guides and valuable local knowledge, EarthCare had also submitted a plan to manage visits to the penguin platform for $10 and $5 for locals.
Obvious conflict of interest overlooked
An informed source told TWiSK that PINP initially proposed the same ticket price for St Kida and Phillip Island – $32 ph – even before visiting the St Kilda site.
The St Kilda experience is more natural than theatrical with small numbers of penguins randomly around dusk. After experiencing this, PINP lowered the proposed price to $24.
TWiSK is concerned that this underscores the reality that an affordable St Kilda penguin experience might compete against the more expensive, more time-consuming alternative – giving PINP a clear incentive to over price the St Kilda option.
But wait, there’s more
The St Kilda Pier is overseen by Parks Victoria. And in a surprise coincidence, the state government announced a comprehensive review of Parks Victoria on Thursday of last week. This announcement included the departure of CEO Matthew Jackson by mutual agreement.
Hold the phone, yes that’s the very same Mathew Jackson that was Phillip Island Nature Parks CEO from 2009 – 2017 (when he took up the PV CEO role).
But it gets even more risible
On Friday, as workers on the Pier busily readied the site for the Minister, media and VIPs, it was discovered that none of the members of the Community/Stakeholder Reference Group had been invited or informed about the opening or the penguin viewing price tag. Ouch.
TWiSK understands that a hastily convened zoom meeting of the community reference group prompted emotional calls to a swag of Government people. The launch was abandoned.
Time for peer pressure
Sorry for the pun, but it’s an ideal way to introduce readers to St Kilda’s call to action.
After 30 years on the pier, EarthCare are understandably miffed and highly distressed about being sidelined in a cause they created.
That’s the cause of understanding, protecting and sharing the joy of having a colony of little battlers making St Kilda their home.
If you are interested in community solutions to tricky problems, TWiSK urges you to visit the EarthCare St Kilda Facebook or go direct to send a message to the government minister
Watch the video to learn more about EarthCare volunteers
