Exciting News!

“The Major Projects team are pleased to announce that Bass Coast Shire Council has successfully secured $632,000 in federal funding though the Regional Partnerships and Precincts Fund to help plan the future of the site.

This is an amazing outcome for the community and will enable us to proceed to master planning for the site. I am thrilled with this outcome, and I am sure you all will be too! This brings us a big step closer to turning the site into something vibrant that can serve the community. 

Thanks everyone for your valuable contribution and passion for the project. We are excited to see what the future holds and to continue working with you all and with the community to unlock this incredible site!”

 Gabby Pugh

Major Projects Officer - Major Projects & Property

Bass Coast Council Comes on Board

Great news!! Council have appointed a Project Lead for the former
Wonthaggi Old Tech Site to their Major Projects team.

This goes with $350k in the current budget for developing concepts, land use options, partnership frameworks and further discussions with the State Government. Council’s ten-year future budget has made significant allowances for contributions to developing the site inclusive of cultural and community use.

Bass Coast Council are getting serious about making this happen,
but they can’t do it alone.

Sunflower Update

You might recall our flash mob gardeners planting  sunflower seeds at our picnic last year (see report below). Well, here they are, growing away, a reminder of our intent and that “from little things big things grow.”

Media Coverage

Many thanks to the Sentinel Times, who made our picnic a front page story in November. We also got an article inside – see it below. A big shout out and thanks also to SouthCoast FM for the community announcements!!

From Little Things Big Things Grow

You may have noticed some busy gardeners during the picnic. This was a flashmob style planting of seeds, seeds that have subsequently been nurtured by Ross. As they say: “Mighty oaks from little acorns grow” (Troilus and Criseyde, Chaucer)…though in this case it’s sunflowers. Look out for our little friends doing their darndest to attract a bit of attention from the public on the corner of McBride Avenue and Watt Street. We’ll update you on their progress over the coming weeks and months.

Sunflower Update: April 2026

Autumn is upon us, and it was finally time to harvest those “symbolic sunflowers” planted at the picnic. With thanks to Dr Ross Farnell for his green thumb, the flowers have been harvested and the seeds collected for a replanting in spring.

 It’s the timeless wonder of it all. As Neal from the Young Ones said:

“We plant the seed, nature grows the seed, and then we eat the seed. But wait… it gets better, because then we – right? – we plant the seed, and then nature – right? – it grows the seed…” (ad nauseum)

Link to YouTube