Cardinia Shire Council has commenced safety works at Officer District Park, where a dangerous drop-off in the main car park has sparked community concern.
A concerned grandfather Des Wynne, who regularly visits the park with his grandchildren, has been calling on council to act on the steep, unfenced edge, warning it poses a serious risk to drivers, children and elderly visitors
“One wrong step and someone like a child chasing a ball, or an elderly person with mobility issues could fall,” Dez said. “It’s not just about cars. The whole area is unsafe.”
“This park is full of families and grandparents every weekend. The potential for disaster from an out of control vehicle is significant.”
He first raised the issue three weeks ago and followed up at least four times, but said he received only a brief verbal response that “there is no budget” for the work.
Other community members have also expressed similar concerns, calling for the immediate installation of crash barriers, fencing and signage to prevent a serious accident.
But on Wednesday 25 June, locals visiting the park were surprised to find that work had finally begun with council crews on site starting to address the hazard.
“It’s a relief to see action,” one resident said. “But it shouldn’t take this long or public pressure for council to act on something so obviously dangerous.”
Cardinia Shire Council’s Acting General Manager Infrastructure and Environment, James Kelly said permanent posts, wheel stops, and rail barriers are scheduled to be installed along the edge of these additional car parks in the coming weeks, weather permitting.
Drivers are encouraged to follow all safety signage around Officer District Park and drive to the conditions as required.
Council said a safety barrier wasn’t installed initially because the overflow car parks weren’t part of the original design.
“To manage the increased number of visitors to Officer District Park, Council installed two overflow car parks onsite in addition to the main sealed car park,” Kelly said.
“As the overflow car parks weren’t included in the original scope of the park, temporary arrangements were made, and they are currently unsealed.
“Since the opening of the site, temporary barriers were in place to mark the change from the sealed to unsealed car parking to support community safety in the area.”
Council can also confirm that the resident was contacted via a phone call on 4 June 2025, when their concerns were discussed.
“Council acknowledged that the requirement for further works had been identified, and that plans were underway to rectify these concerns with a permanent barrier,” Kelly said.
