Geoff Gower submitted this comment after hearing that revised site brief had been released.
Last week, an email arrived from the Council property team to update me on the Marina project because of my participation as a past St Kilda Marina Project Community Panel member.
The letter started with this intriguing statement:
“You may be aware that amid several economic challenges, and despite Council’s efforts to find a way forward, the Australian Marina Development Corporation (AMDC) is not proceeding with the redevelopment of the St Kilda Marina.”
Yes, Council, I was aware that the redevelopment was not proceeding as planned because that was announced on 4 April 2025.
As a panel member and community member, the news that the process was starting again concerned me immediately.
There are always economic challenges. Which challenges resulted in the abandonment of the development plans? What were the Council’s efforts to find a way forward? Why is the Australian Marina Development Corporation (AMDC) not proceeding with the redevelopment of the St Kilda Marina? If the lease agreement has been breached, who is responsible and what is the remedy?
Preparation of the project brief, design documentation, and the lease documents included input from Council staff and a range of consultants, including lawyers, and would have cost an extraordinary amount. To date, how much has the Council spent on the St Kilda Marina project, including the amount spent on the purchase of the wet berths?
During the community consultation, questions were raised about the extent of the site contamination and the proposed remedy. What is the estimated cost of removing the site contamination?
The revised project brief is almost identical to the initial project brief. How will Council prevent another lease agreement breach?
Geoff Gowers
