Urgent call to rebuild and save the club that saves lives

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Key points

• The Williamstown Swimming and Life Saving Club received $11.3 million from the state government to upgrade the club’s “revolting”, 100-year-old facilities. But work is yet to start.
• The lifesaving club and the government blame Hobsons Bay City Council for the delay.
• The council says it is developing plans for the upgrade, but work isn’t due to start until next year.
• In its long-term aquatic strategy, the council says its priority is to build a new pool in Altona Meadows, a project which could cost as much as $84 million.

Members of one of Melbourne’s largest lifesaving clubs fear their rundown headquarters could be closed because a multimillion-dollar redevelopment of its 100-year-old facilities has stalled.

The Williamstown Swimming and Life Saving Club received $11.3 million in 2021 from the Victorian government to upgrade the club’s “revolting” facilities, but two years on, work is yet to start.

Williamstown Swimming and Life Saving Club members fear their facilities won’t last much longer.Credit: Jason South

The club and state government both blame Hobsons Bay City Council for delays to the project.

Club president Claire Howell said her members performed 11 beach rescues last summer and that the club was a vital part of the community, but would have nowhere to operate from if the rebuild did not take place soon.

“We have to be able to operate to patrol the beach; otherwise we don’t have a patrolled beach in Williamstown,” she said.

“We’ll have to operate out of [portable] containers.”

The pool at Williamstown Swimming and Lifesaving Club, which is in a state of disrepair.Credit: Jason South

The club has about 1500 members and runs a 300-strong nippers program. But Howell said the clubrooms were unsafe and comprised two “rotting” weatherboard buildings, with one boardroom and minimal heating.

“It’s at the end of its life, this facility will fall down,” Howell said. “The men’s toilets and changing rooms are absolutely revolting,” she said.

“We often take board meetings at the local pub instead.”

In 2019, Howell and other members lobbied the state government and in 2021, they secured an $11.3 million lifeline to upgrade the building and convert the outdoor swimming pool into an indoor heated pool.

Club president Claire Howell says the club’s 100-year-old facilities are unsafe and “revolting”.Credit: Jason South

The government grant was the largest allocated to Hobsons Bay in the council’s history. The council has also contributed $3 million to the redevelopment.

But formal designs for the project are still to be completed, construction won’t start until next year and the project won’t be completed until 2026.

Last month, Williamstown MP Melissa Horne, who awarded the funding to the club, slammed the council for not prioritising the upgrade project.

“Council have never wanted to complete this much-needed and wanted community asset and have had to be dragged the whole way,” Horne said in parliament.

“The failure to prioritise, and delay in planning has seen cost increases skyrocket as [the] Hobsons Bay City Council executive sat on their hands.

“So nearly two years on from that letter congratulating [the club], I wish I was here marking the completion of the works.”

The council’s aquatic strategy for 2019-30 says its priority is to build a modern aquatic and early years learning centre in Altona Meadows.

The council has begun a $2 million design process for the Altona Meadows pool, but the project could cost as much as $84 million to build due to cost blowouts. The state government has contributed $10 million to that project.

Williamstown Swimming and Lifesaving Club members outside the century-old clubrooms.Credit: Jason South

A Hobsons Bay spokesperson said the council was committed to rebuilding the Williamstown Swimming and Life Saving Club, “with the core lifesaving components required for the club to continue its operations for many years to come”.

“Preliminary concept development work is under way and will be available for community consultation in coming months,” the spokesperson said.

Planning is also under way to improve the open space areas throughout the Williamstown Beach precinct, which has been criticised for its inadequate toilets and change rooms.

Life Saving Victoria said it was working closely with the council, the state government and lifesaving club to progress the redevelopment.

“All lifesaving club infrastructure across Victoria is monitored regularly to ensure provision of fit-for-purpose lifesaving services,” a spokesperson said.

“The nature of harsh coastal environments means that all clubs require constant facility maintenance; and as facilities age, LSV prioritises work with clubs to maintain safe working spaces.”

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