Apollo Bay’s Chamber of Commerce deserves hearty congratulations for hosting a fascinating evening on the future of the fishing Industry recently.
Perched as we are in glorious isolation on the seaward edge of stunning forest and the Great Ocean Road we have long passed days that were centred on the fishing and the whaling industries. Logging and agriculture are similarly passing their prime.
But we are more than a sleepy retirement village. Along with recurrent risk of fire in summer and our glum long winters we have a thriving economy that fairly bounces off tourism, domestic and international.
We are steeped in the arts and culture and our education and health services are unique.
Any moves that result in making the fishing harbour a second retail precinct should be greeted with particular caution; the vitality of our community is totally dependent upon centralised businesses in the CBD and careful and intelligent town planning.