The Executive Director of Heritage Victoria has just advised us that he will shortly announce his recommendation that the Heritage Council of Victoria include the Flinders Pier on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Our deepest thanks to the Flinders District Historical Society for its work in preparing the Heritage Victoria submission on behalf of the Flinders Community Association, and the tireless effort of our Save Flinders Pier committee member, Neville Wale.

As part of the consideration process, Heritage Victoria will shortly invite submissions from the public and interested parties who support (or oppose) the recommendation. There may also be public hearings.

We do not yet know how Parks Victoria or the Victorian Government will respond to the recommendation; or if the Heritage Council of Victoria will accept the recommendation. But with enough public support, we now have the best chance of Saving Flinders Pier.

So, we still have a long way to go before we can declare victory. As a result, we will continue with our campaign, albeit in a measured way to allow the review process to proceed unimpeded.

Further details about how you can have your say in the Heritage Review will follow.Thank you again for your support which has enabled us to get this far. We have been very careful about how our donations have been spent and we will continue building awareness and public support until the pier is saved.

This campaign is heavily dependent on our small, hard-working Save Flinders Pier committee. In addition to Neville Wale (History) we are very fortunate to have the incredible contribution of Mary Iles (Communications), Susan Grant (Treasurer), Melissa Smith (Village signage), Trent Williams (Beach Clean-Ups), Jane Bowman (Underwater seabed Clean-ups), Trish Hurley (School Art Competition), Mark Holland (Pier Condition Report), Dr Neil Hallam (Botany & Ecology advice), Claire Thorn (strategic advice), Alan Farrar (engineering insights) and Myra Kelly (social media).

These outcomes are always a team effort. We will continue to keep you informed.