Warrnambool's breakwater will crumble and fall into the sea if urgent repairs aren't conducted on the historic structure, a regular ocean swimmer has warned.
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Warrnambool resident Larry McCarthy swims behind it daily and said if something wasn't done soon there would be no breakwater.
He's calling on authorities to begin plans to repair, maintain and preserve the "deteriorating" breakwater before it's too late.
"We feel it's a sad indictment on the authorities that it's been let get to the state it is now," Mr McCarthy said.
In the 1880s, the Port of Warrnambool was a thriving deep sea port and handled more cargo than the Port of Melbourne.
In 1874, government approved a plan to construct a breakwater, from huge concrete blocks weighing 32 tons each, to provide protection to shipping.
A specially-built railway line was built to transport the blocks to the breakwater site and construction was completed 16 years later in 1890.
"Back in the 1890s we didn't have the equipment and tools that we've got today," Mr McCarthy said. "They spent years building it and to be let go the way it has been with the equipment we've got now it's a disgrace really.
"They built it back in the 1890s and there hasn't been much done to it since. You'd hate to see it crumble into the sea or a fence put up to stop people walking down there."
Mr McCarthy said he couldn't understand how the breakwater, which was "an incredibly important part of our bay", was allowed to fall into such a state of disrepair.
He said it broke his heart to see the condition of the structure.
"Around the back of it, it's just crumbling away," Mr McCarthy said.
"If something's not done urgently there will be no breakwater there. It'll just fall into the sea.
"There will be no boats, no fishing. You won't have to worry about the (beach) stairs or anything because the waves will hammer them like nobody's business.
"There's an awful lot of historical importance around and through the bay, that should be connected with the rest of the south- west coast in terms of the shipwrecks.
"There's a lot of shipwrecks in our bay that people don't know about and it's important for our tourism and historic preservation."
Mr McCarthy was one of more than 20 residents who attended a workshop on Thursday, November 30, 2023 as part of the council's "big picture" plan to get ideas for the future of the area as it begins work on formulating a Warrnambool Foreshore Framework Plan.
Mr McCarthy spoke on behalf of his group on the night where attendees were given prompts on key issues and themes to discuss and submit as part of the early public consultation. Topics included water ecology and climate change, movement and access, tourism and economy, community and culture and others.
Attendees were also asked to write what their future foreshore hopes were.
One suggestion included a loop road through the "jungle" on Warrnambool's foreshore which could help solve the summer traffic jam at Stingray Bay.
Other suggestions and ideas included ongoing calls to restore beach views from McGennan Car Park, removal of seaweed from Lady Bay, extending the car park to the east of the Pavilion and more parking near the surf club, a playground and barbecues at the breakwater, a fenced off swimming area in the bay below the breakwater.
The city's boat ramp was also a hot topic with calls for further improvements, despite a multi-million dollar upgrade, completed in 2022, which included new jetties and resurfacing of the two-lane concrete ramp designed to make launching easier.
There were also calls to respect the area's ecology, to trim vegetation along Viaduct Road and the Promenade to "bench height" to improve views, safety and visibility, and sensor lights to also increase safety as well as a number of other ideas and suggestions.
Melbourne-based consultants Realm Studios will collate the information as part of the research and analysis phase with another public workshop to be held late February 2024. Conceptual options and a draft plan are due for release in the first half of 2024.
The public can contribute ideas via an online survey on the Warrnambool City Council website's your say page until January 12, 2024.
Go to yoursaywarrnambool.com.au/have-your-say-warrnambool-foreshore-framework-plan for more information.
