Coronavirus community information
Customer Service at the Altona Civic Centre opened to the public on Monday 1 June with reduced opening hours, 11am to 2pm until further notice. There is also a dedicated ‘community hour’, 10am to 11am, for the elderly, their carers and those that are considered at risk or requiring additional assistance.
Physical distancing protocols of 1.5 metres will be enforced and a maximum of 10 people at any one time (excluding staff) will be allowed in the customer service area. Members of the public entering the building will need to use hand sanitiser on arrival and those remaining on site for 15 minutes will be required to register their attendance (as per government requirements) by logging in to the ‘who is on location’ tool, located within the customer service area. Perspex screens at the Customer Service counter have been installed to ensure the safety of staff and the community. Cashless payments are preferred.
Please check in with our friendly concierge upon arrival. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we implement these new opening guidelines.
Customer Service is still available via phone, email and live chat. Please call 03 9932 1000 for customer enquiries.
Planning, Building and Public Health Services
For Planning, Building and Public Health Services related enquiries pre-arranged appointments are strongly recommended for anyone who would like to meet face to face with a Council officer.
Click on the following links to request an appointment or to make an enquiry:
Planning services
Building Services
Public Health Services
All other enquiries or appointment requests for other areas within Council may be made through the Customer Service contact options listed above.
Hobsons Bay Libraries opened to the public on Tuesday 9 June, following the Queen’s Birthday public holiday. Each library is open Monday to Friday, from 2pm to 6pm, and on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm. Council is pleased to advise that the Book a Book home delivery service will continue to operate. There is a dedicated ‘community hour’, 1pm to 2pm Monday to Friday, for the elderly, their carers and those that are considered at risk or requiring additional assistance.
The Creative Technology Hub in Williamstown is not reopening on Tuesday 9 June. The opening date is still to be confirmed.
Concierge greeting, compulsory sign-in, hand sanitising and temperature checking will be a condition of entry. Personal protective items will be available upon request. Children under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a supervising adult. The amount of time patrons can spend in the library will be restricted and sitting spaces will not be available (exemptions apply for those with mobility impairment or for pre-booked computer use). Continual cleaning and sanitation will occur throughout the day.
All Council delivered face to face public events and community consultations are cancelled until further notice.
Essential city services will continue to operate, albeit with some modifications.
Victorian restrictions easing
The stage government has announced the easing of some restrictions, including hygiene measures, record keeping, density and physical distancing requirements. Final changes are subject to advice of the Chief Health Officer.
Community sports
Starting to see some community sports activity taking place in Hobsons Bay?
Active sport and recreation is important to the health and wellbeing of the local community.
Council is working very closely with State Sporting Associations, local leagues and sports clubs to re-activate community sporting activity, following the easing of restrictions announced by the Victorian Government on Monday 11 May.
Each State Sporting Association is required to develop ‘Return to Play’ guidelines which align with the Victorian Government’s current restrictions and recommendations by Sport and Recreation Victoria.
After completing the appropriate sport specific assessments, clubs will be permitted to commence modified training which includes strict guidelines around groups of no more than 10 participants in allocated spaces, social distancing and non-contact skill based drills.
More information on the reactivation of community sport can be via the Sport and Recreation Victoria website at https://sport.vic.gov.au/our-work/return-to-play
The Premier recently announced some lightening of restrictions that pertain to community sport. For all the details, visit www.premier.vic.gov.au/statement-from-the-premier-40/ and www.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-covid-19-restrictions-victoria
For any sporting related queries, please contact Council in 9932 1000 or email customerservice@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au
From 11.59pm 25 May 2020:
Playgrounds, skate parks and outdoor fitness stations
Following advice from the Victorian Government, on 26 May all playgrounds, skate parks and outdoor fitness stations reopened. While cleaning crews are working across the city, it is important that all users take precaution and wipe down equipment before and after use.
Please remember that a maximum of 20 people are allowed to use equipment at any one time. Social distancing requirements remain in place.
Please keep 1.5 metres between you and others, and regularly wash hands and sanitise.
The following restrictions were eased from 11.59pm on Sunday 31 May.
Libraries
- the state government will enable libraries to open with 20 people permitted in each separate space at any one time, in addition to staff
- the four square metre rule must be adhered to
- facilities are required to record the names of visitors who stay at the community facility or library for more than 15 minutes
Community sporting activity on Council land (third party management)
- groups of 20 people can participate in training for outdoor, non-contact and non-competitive sport
- restrictions on professional sport remain, and indoor sporting activities remain prohibited until 11:59pm on 21 June
Swimming pools (third party management)
- indoor and outdoor swimming pools are allowed to open with maximum 20 patrons per separate enclosed space
- while toilets can open, changing rooms, spas, and saunas will remain closed as these spaces present an increased risk
Community centres (third party management)
- centres and other community facilities are permitted to open with 20 people in a single area, in addition to staff
Community events and community consultations
All Council delivered public face to face events and community consultation sessions are cancelled until further notice.
Community event bookings and permits
Council will not be accepting bookings for events taking place on Council land or at Council facilities until further notice.If any events that were previously approved by Council are cancelled, there will be no financial penalties in doing so and we will waive any previously paid permit fees related to these events.
Community Services
A range of our services will continue as normal and some with various changes.
Immunisations will continue to be delivered with online bookings, as will Community Delivered Meals.
Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services will be delivered via phone and/or online platform. Minimal face to face appointments (15 minutes only) for young babies up to 8 weeks of age may be arranged with an MCH Nurse.
Hobsons Bay UP (Youth Services) youth counselling will be delivered via phone, Skype and video.
Planned Activity Group (PAG), Community Transport and Overnight Respite for older residents will all be suspended until further notice, however Council is closely monitoring and supporting clients with regular phone contact.
Early years playgroups, Preschool Officers and Occasional Care provision is being suspended until the start of Term 2, which falls on 14 April, or until further notice.
The closure of facilities and cancellation of events has been guided by advice given by the federal and state governments, which includes the advice that there are to be no gatherings of 100 people or more.
Council is also looking at ways to minimise risk to community and staff across the existing services that are operating.
For information on how to reduce your risk, what to do if you are experiencing symptoms, and the latest information and advice, visit the relevant Victorian Government website at www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/victorian-public-coronavirus-disease-covid-19
COVID-19 Community Information for Parents from DHHS(PDF, 1MB)