Warrnambool’s existing coast guard boat is under-utilised and part of the reason it will be transferred permanently, national commodore Ray Campbell says.
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Mr Campbell said he understood the decision to redeploy the Warrnambool-based vessel had caused angst for the locally-based flotilla but the boat was inappropriate for the south-west.
The Standard revealed last week the boat would be redeployed to Queenscliff, on the Bellarine Peninsula, and be replaced with a smaller and faster vessel, but there was no set timeline for when it would arrive.
Mr Campbell said he believed the existing Warrnambool vessel would be taken to Queenscliff this week, and an interim replacement would arrive “within the month”. In the meantime, the Warrnambool flotilla would work in conjunction with Portland.
He said a permanent replacement vessel would be deployed once a refurbishment was completed.
Mr Campbell said the redeployment was part of a wider strategic plan.
He said plans were brought forward after the Queenscliff vessel suffered steering failure during the search for a plane which crashed off Barwon Heads.
He said the existing vessel was “a rock around the neck” of the Warrnambool flotilla, which had attended 12 call outs in the past five years.
“It’s not a cheap boat to run or maintain, this will reduce their operating costs,” Mr Campbell said.
“The coast guard’s view is the Warrnambool flotilla would be better served by a mid-range vessel.”
He said he understood that the volunteers felt agitated by the decision, but there was a real need for a vessel the size of the Warrnambool boat elsewhere.
He said a permanent replacement would arrive in the city as soon as possible.
“There are two different vessels that will be offered to Warrnambool,” he said.
“Whichever one they choose will be completely refurbished.”
Warrnambool flotilla commander Adrian Calderwood said he was gutted by the prospect of being without a rescue vessel after the group’s hard work to fund and establish the service.
“I hope that this never eventuates. As a member of Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association I refrain from commenting detrimentally about the association, but this does not make the bitter pill any easier to swallow,” Mr Calderwood said.
