At its Meeting last week South Gippsland Shire Council committed to construct Atherton Drive, Venus Bay from the existing seal to Spring Street if it receives grant funding from the Federal Government.

 
Start of Atherton Drive to be sealed from Nell Street

At its Meeting last week South Gippsland Shire Council committed to construct Atherton Drive, Venus Bay from the existing seal to Spring Street if it receives grant funding from the Federal Government.

Council will construct the road in 2020/21 if its application for the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Grant is successful. A total of $177,000 from the $2.38M grant would be used for its construction.

The decision came as a result of a community petition requesting that Council consider traffic management and sealing of Atherton Drive and Spring Street, Venus Bay.

South Gippsland Shire Chair Administrator Julie Eisenbise was hopeful that the grant application was successful so this project could proceed.

“We are in a unique position where we have Atherton Drive as a shovel ready project and grant funding opportunities available to us in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are obviously trying to get this project done while being creative in the way we meet this community need. We are in an unusual situation in which funds are available in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other related issues, which require a response by government.

“This project is somewhat unique in that the petition and the grant coincided, which means that we’re suddenly in a position to do work that we may not in other circumstances. This is a great outcome for the people of Venus Bay,” said Ms Eisenbise.