GREETINGS AND SALUTATIONS

Welcome to the Hobsons Bay Sport and Game Fishing Club Incorporated.

Our club started in December 1995 with 35 members as a family fishing club that held its first meeting at the 1st Altona Scout Group Hall, Civic Parade, Altona.

With constant promotions on 3CR Community Radio "Let’s Go Fishing " program and 3AK Recreational Boating and Fishing show, local newspaper fishing columns and editorials, the club became known amongst the fishing fraternity and the membership started to grow.

As the membership attendance increased the scout hall was not large enough anymore and we changed venue to the Altona Meadows Community Centre as a permanent group user in October 1996.

The Hobsons Bay Sport and Game Fishing Club Incorporated has a total of 241 members, consisting of 154 men 38 ladies and 49 Juniors amongst which there are 56 families.

The club has a syllabus of competitions, and events and holds its meetings on a monthly basis at the Altona Meadows Community Centre, 28 Trafalgar Avenue, Altona Meadows Melway Map 208 G1.

The main feature of our club’s operation is our Annual Snapper Challenge Fishing Competition, which receives enormous support.

Some 130 sponsors usually rally behind this great competition and donate many valuable prizes, cash donations and others that make their equipment available to us free of charge.

This competition usually attracts almost 500 entries and involves many recreational fishing clubs from all parts of Port Phillip Bay.

The major prize lucky draw of an aluminium boat, motor and trailer, sponsored by Footscray Marine Centre is the main attraction. Every competitor that pays the full entry fee is eligible to win this major lucky draw prize.

Mobil Altona Refinery- "Working with the community- Building for the Future" is our second major sponsor. They too have been very supportive of us since the start of our club.

Other major prizes include a second lucky major prize of $1000 in cash. The juniors are not overlooked, in the major prize section. A mountain bike is allocated for them.

In the setting of the competition we have a Champion's Prize for the heaviest snapper, and Ist, 2nd, and 3rd in Men's, Ladies' and Junior's sections. We have, allocated lucky draw prizes for fish weighed and no fish weighed sections.

For the juniors that do not win a prize, an additional 20 rods and reels are set-aside as encouragement awards.

We present approximately 150 prizes in total and hand out many give away bags with advertising material. A list of sponsors is printed on the back of the competition brochure included so that our competitors have the opportunity to seek them when they require their products or services.

Anyone is welcome to sponsor this well planned and professionally organised Snapper Challenge Tournament, which takes place in November each year.

The club is heavily involved in many community activities such as the Altona Bayside Festival, which falls on the third weekend in March each year. Our club organises the fishing competition at Cherry Lake in Altona on the Saturday. This event is well supported by the local school children with trophies and prizes provided by Advance Real Estate of Laverton for the winners of the secret weights.

On Sunday of this popular festival weekend the club proudly joins in the Pier Street Parade with three water fishing crafts equipped for bay, rivers and lakes and game fishing as well as the coast guard with whom we have a very close association to promote Safe Boating and Fishing. On this weekend the club holds a food and soft drink stall, which is very popular, and a very good fundraiser for our club.

In 1997 and 2002 the club has won the Bayside Festival Most Involved Community Group Award.

The club welcomes new membership from anyone who wants to learn about fishing as well as the experienced. Families and junior members are most welcome and encouraged to participate in this very relaxing sport.

The club organises family social outings, day and weekend local and distant fishing competitions on lakes, rivers, Port Phillip Bay, Portland and Bermagui N.S.W.

It holds safety lectures conducted by the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard and the Victoria Water Police.

It conducted N.S.W. Waterways boat and jetski driver's licences until March 2002 in conjunction with the Australian Volunteer Coastguard. Later the Club ran the Victorian Boat and Jet Ski Driving Licence testing through Vic roads and the Coast Guard.

Talks are frequently given by well-known fishing identities on bream, surf, whiting, freshwater, snapper, game fishing techniques as well as general fishing items of interest to members. Our club also procures distress flares and E.P.I.R.B. units for its members.

The club hosts the annual Ray White Laverton children’s competition in December at Cherry Lake Altona, which is the delight of the school children hoping to harness a prize. The Club has in the past organised a fun day fishing trip on the bay off Williamstown for disadvantaged children from the Western Region Sports Assembly.

Just recently the club took part in a Sport and Recreation Victoria Fishing participation initiative called "Catching On To Fishing" aimed at encouraging school children in the Essendon area to take up fishing as a sport and teaching them the basics including casting and tying knots.

A similar initiative has been taken by the club to have school children from the Altona area introduced to fishing with the support of a grant of $1250.00 through the Victorian Recreation Fishing Small Grants Program 2001 and another $1500 for the 2002 program.

Another grant of $1000 received from a group initiative run by Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong and Wyndham Councils is used to run programs based on Access for All Abilities

In June 2003 the Club received a further grant of $1500 so that it can continue with its school fishing training program.

The club participates in the Rex Hunt Future Fish Foundation Skilled Fishing Week each year as it did in 2000, 2001 and 2002. This is held at Albert Park Lake to promote fishing skills in general to young children.

A great believer in conservation and protection of fish and its environment, the club has joined Cetec in its inaugural Marine Pest Day Operation Starwar 2000, followed by a repeat, in April 2001

Another community project the club takes part in is " Clean Up Australia Day " where each year club members remove close to fifteen cubic metres of rubbish from the boat launching ramps area, right through the Seaholme Foreshore. Apart from being unsightly, most of this rubbish would unfortunately end up in the bay.

The Hobsons Bay City Council is most appreciative of volunteers like ourselves who assist with the many initiatives around the city.

An annual interclub surf competition is held between this club and the Upwey Angling Club, which is in its eight year. We look forward to this friendly rivalry, which is a very good way to promote good comradeship between fishing clubs. This is competed for the heaviest bag of five fish of each species only, for the men's, ladies, juniors and a team of four anglers.

The progress of this club is ongoing and as a result it has embarked on a fund-raising mission to build a clubroom to accommodate its fast growing family membership. An approach to Hobsons Bay City Council was made in February 1997 seeking Council support and recognition to have our own premises as a base from which to function. On the second of July 1997 the club met with council’s environment planner together with the Southern Cross Archery Club about the possibility of co-locating and have a building erected to be jointly shared at W.D. Graham Reserve. The previous tip location at Altona Meadows.

In March 1998 both clubs had jointly submitted a Planning Application as directed by council officials, which was advertised without receiving any objections.

Council later notified both clubs that the application was being put on hold as a whole Masterplan was to be developed for W.D. Graham Reserve and the tipsite.

In December 1998 council decided that on environmental issues a club building for a fishing club and the archery club was not compatible for this area. It was then suggested that, especially from the fishing club point of view, we would be better off if we were located close to the Seaholme Boat Ramp area.

Continuing negotiations between club officials and councillors and officers flourished progressively to the point where in May 2000 Council agreed in principle to lease land for a club building at W. G. Cresser Reserve being part of the Seaholme Foreshore Masterplan.

A few suggestions were thrown in to locate us elsewhere. These included on the south side of the Altona Yacht Club at W.G. Cresser Reserve, P.A. Burns Reserve, north of the Altona Sports Club, the Scout Camp at the Pines, McIntosh reserve and at the north exit to the boat ramp car ant trailer parking lot. All to be found unsuitable by council officers.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment being a neighbouring Authority, were asked to comment on this site and their assessment was that this was the best location suited to the Club’s and the Coast Guard’s needs.
The local council with the advice from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment reached a consensus that the Seaholme Foreshore was the best location suited to the club’s and Coast Guard's needs.

On August 28th 2001 the Hobsons Bay City Council unanimously resolved to give owners consent to the proposal of Hobsons Bay Sport and Game Fishing Club and the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard to construct a building for club facilities on W.G. Cresser Reserve in accordance with the submitted plans.

We are delighted that this building will also accommodate the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard as their permanent base at Seaholme.

Once the building has been approved and up and running, it shall be the focal point as a training centre for both school age children and grown ups alike whether their interests are in fishing or Coast Guards activities.

Hobsons Bay Sport and Game Fishing Club and the Australian Volunteer Coastguard submitted a Planning Application with plans to council on 30th August 2001. This was advertised and received 11 submissions and a petition signed by 172 persons under the banner of the Friends of Seaholme Foreshore and Parklands Group.

This matter was to be heard by the Special Planning Committee (SPC) on 20th December 2001. A week prior to the hearing, the club was informed by the council planner that a recommendation to refuse the granting of permit for development and use of part of Cresser Reserve. Six points of concern, objections, were noted as non-compliance with council requirements.

This was a devastating blow to the club and the coastguard after working very closely with council officers for a year in order to overcome any concerns or issues. This we were led to believe had been achieved.

At this point the club had no alternative but to request that council defer the hearing of the application.

A series of meetings with councillors and officers took place and resolved the outstanding issues with the main ones being to provide car park space and the provision of a landscape plan.

Although the club is a non-political organisation it was hit by a massive political Labour tidal wave. As council election was approaching fast in March 2002, two serving Labour councillors and six new Labour candidates embarked on a rigorous campaign. A flyer was circulated amongst voters that if elected, they would continue to work with the Friends of Seaholme Foreshore Group on determining other siting options for the location of the second fishing club. (Namely the Hobsons Bay Sport and Game Fishing Club – H.B.S.G.F.C. – currently proposed for W.G. Cresser Reserve.

The result was that the residents decided to return the status quo at the election. A well-balanced four Labour and four independent councillors.

This did not deter the four elected Labour councillors who continued their ruthless campaign to have the club located well away from the other angling club who they so passionately supported.

The application hearing was scheduled for the SPC Meeting of March 14 2002. A Labour councillor sitting on the committee who happened to be the Mayor at the time, walked out of the meeting claiming political interference during the election process.

Once again the application hearing suffered yet another setback. This was rescheduled for April 11 2002. Success was on our side this time as the SPC approved the Planning Application unanimously.

This feeling of jubilation was short lived as another Labour councillor moved a five-point motion to have the Seaholme Foreshore Masterplan reviewed by the full council in light of additional infrastructure issues etc.

In May 2002, the motion was dealt with by the full council, which was voted on 4 in favour and 4 against. The mayor exercised her casting vote against the motion, which was lost.

A 21-day period had to be observed before council could issue a Planning Permit allowing for the lodgement of any objections.

On the 21st day of the appeal period the club discovered that the Altona Boating and Angling Club and Others (10 Individual residents) had lodged an appeal with the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). The friends of Seaholme Foreshore and Parklands Group, this time did not object. The hearing was held on the 2nd & 3rd October 2002. After 7 weeks of deliberation, V.C.A.T. handed down it’s finding to uphold Hobsons Bay Council’s previous decision to grant a planning permit.(cancel remainder of sentence)

Following the outcome from V.C.A.T. the surveyor pegged out the proposed lease site and although Council had agreed in principle to lease the land to the club back in September 1999, it was council requirement to advertise its intention to lease the land and invite public comment.

Twelve written submissions where received and five of these have asked to be heard at the ordinary council meeting of 11th February 2003.

Once again the three Labour councils that where present at this meeting, opposed the lease issue very strongly. A resolution was finally reached to grant a lease to the club.

On 29th May 2003 a five-year lease agreement, with an option of further five years upon expiry was finalised between Hobsons Bay City Council and Hobsons Bay Sport and Game Fishing Club. This process has taken three years and eight months in total to secure.

Building plans are at present being examined before submitting for a building permit.

Further details will be given as soon as they become available.

Other Comments

A new Safe Boat Harbour, built and completed in April 2001, for the safe launching and retrieving of watercrafts, is a great asset to our type of sport for all to appreciate.

The Hobsons Bay City Council is to be congratulated and must be the envy of other bayside councils for taking the initiative resulting in this great development. It has turned the old sand flats at the Seaholme Boat Ramps into a spectacular safe haven facility for all participants in water sports.

The Hobsons Bay Sport and Game Fishing Club in particular congratulate the Hobsons Bay City Council for its efforts in this much-needed unique project. Well done. GOOD FISHING.

New members are most welcome and membership and other enquiries should be directed to the President Joe Cachia, Phone 9398 1104, Mobile 0403 174 781.

Our club has a website, which is regularly updated, and provides details as well as articles of club and general interest. This can be accessed on: http://www.fishvictoria.com/hobsons



Compiled by:
Paul Sagona
Vice President
Public Relations officer
Phone; 9398 5726

And

George Calleja
Secretary

Initial Issue: 8th August h 2001
Updates 4th September 2002
22nd November 2002
12th July 2003