Environment

Solar powers Cowes treatment plant

18/8/2026

A $1.7 million solar installation at the Cowes Wastewater Treatment Plant is cutting costs and emissions.

WESTERNPORT Water has commissioned a 545kW ground-mounted solar system at its Cowes Wastewater Treatment Plant, the largest solar installation of its kind in Bass Coast.

The system has been operating since June 4 and is already supplying much of the electricity needed to run the energy-intensive treatment plant.

On clear winter days, the solar array has generated enough electricity to meet the plant’s needs for most of the day, with surplus power exported to the grid.

Westernport Water expects the period of energy self-sufficiency to increase over summer as daylight hours lengthen.

Against the tide

17/8/2026

The battle to stop a sewage outfall at Eagles Nest was just the beginning for the South Gippsland Conservation Society.
Cartoon: Colin Suggett

By Rhonda Sutton

IN 1979 the Inverloch Sewerage Authority applied for a licence to discharge virtually raw sewage into the ocean in the vicinity of Eagles Nest. South Gippsland Conservation Society (SGCS) objected on the grounds that nutrient-rich effluent would travel through a substantial part of the Bunurong cliff reserve. It would then flow across a beach which is one of the most significant in the area and to rock platforms rich with marine life.

In 1981 a public meeting of over 100 people was held in Inverloch and a motion carried which opposed the discharge of effluent by the outfall into Bass Strait and called for a completely land-based sewerage treatment system. Almost 1200 people around Inverloch signed a petition expressing opposition to the sewerage outfall which was then tabled in state parliament.

Where lace monitors roam

17/8/2026

Marjorie Scott gave a little ground to gain a lot – for the community and the rare animals that still live amongst us.

By Noel Maud

WHEN THE recently completed Wonthaggi to Inverloch trail officially opened it ushered in a new era of protection for some of our most vulnerable and important birds, animals and plants.

The middle section traverses Marjorie Scott’s property which is being progressively transformed into an environmentally sustainable farm featuring kilometres of indigenous vegetation-lined lanes, wetlands feeding into Wreck Creek and woodlots of indigenous and threatened trees and shrubs.

When the trail was first proposed with the idea of making use of undeveloped and disused road reserves between the two towns, Marjorie saw the potential, but also identified major difficulties for her plans.

A beach takes shape

1/8/2026

Photos: South Gippsland Conservation Society, July 31, 2026

By Philip Heath

AFTER weeks of dredging, Inverloch Surf Beach is beginning to look like a sandy surf beach again. Completed sections of the dune renourishment project have transformed the foreshore, with wave action already starting to shape a more natural slope to the water's edge.

Beach renourishment resumed on July 16 after a 10-day break while the dredge underwent repairs. Dredging is now taking place from 6am to 6pm, six days a week.

Woodland protection gathers pace

17/7/2026

Resources Minister Lily D'Ambrosio: sand overlay lifted from former Holden Proving Ground

By Catherine Watson

The campaign to protect the Western Port Woodlands reached another milestone last Friday when Resources Minister Lily D'Ambrosio announced the removal of a sand quarrying overlay from several sites, including the former Holden Proving Ground.

Removing the Extractive Industry Interest Area overlay has been a priority of the Save Western Port Woodlands (SWPW) campaign.

Minister D’Ambrosio made her announcement to local conservation groups at the Shuntoff lookout, against a backdrop of the bay and woodlands.

The next chapter for Western Port

15/7/2026

Momentum is building to give Western Port the same recognition and co-ordinated management as Port Phillip. Photo: Victorian National Parks Association

By Greg Johnson

FOR 10 of the past 12 years, Western Port’s rich marine ecosystem has been under threat from a succession of major development proposals.

The proposed Hastings Container Port in 2014 threatened a dramatic expansion of shipping. In 2017, AGL proposed a floating gas import terminal that would have discharged large volumes of chlorinated seawater into the bay. Both proposals were ultimately abandoned after strong community opposition.

Walking with Eulie

8/7/2026

Eulie Brewster on her 80th birthday, Wilsons Prom, August 2006

By Terri Allen

IF ONLY we could bottle 'Essence of Eulie', perhaps we could acquire more energy, exuberance and erudition. Well into her eighties she still led walking groups and field excursions, toured the countryside, read voraciously, wrote historical extracts, participated in bird counts and fire recovery monitoring, weeded local reserves, planted trees and yet remained a girl guide at heart.

Eulalie (Eulie) Brewster, who died on July 1, was a colossus of the South Gippsland and Bass Coast conservation scene for over 75 years.

The fox man

1/7/2026

FROM THE ARCHIVES

This article was first published in The Current community newspaper in 2003.

Alan Cleeland: “I’ve been hunting foxes for 55 years and I still don’t know what makes them tick.”

By Catherine Watson

MENTION Alan Cleeland’s name on Phillip Island and the old-timers nod their heads. “The fox man,” they say.

For almost five decades Alan and his team of foxhounds have been a familiar sight.

These days, forced by illness to stay closer to home, he lends his dogs and knowledge to others who continue his mission of ridding the island of foxes, the scourge of fairy penguins and other native wildlife.

He’s killed about 750 himself since he began hunting in his teens. Impressive enough – but to put it into real perspective, consider each of the vixens giving birth to four or five cubs a year, and so on through the years.

Up for the count

4/6/2026

Wanted: volunteers to help count our fur seals. Photos: Phillip Island Nature Parks

By Lisa Gilbert

PHILLIP Island Nature Parks is calling on citizen scientists to join the 2026 SealSpotter Challenge, helping researchers identify and count seals from drone images captured during seal breeding season at Seal Rocks off Phillip Island and The Skerries near Mallacoota.

During the last SealSpotter Challenge in 2023 citizen scientists from 90 countries collectively counted 171,00 seals. Recorded population trends closely match expert scientific counts, demonstrating the important role citizen science plays in conservation research.

Phillip Island Nature Parks Senior Scientist Dr Rebecca McIntosh said the project had become an integral tool for monitoring marine ecosystem health.

Home delivery, minus the diesel

19/5/2026

The Cape home owner Ned Fitzpatrick: "We’re trying to leave the world a little better for our kids." Photos: Alastair Brook

A NINE-STAR prefabricated home delivered to Cape Paterson on an electric truck is being promoted as a model for low-carbon housing in Australia.

The three-bedroom modular home was built in a factory in the Yarra Valley, trucked more than 160 kilometres to The Cape and installed within days.

Owners Ned and Sarah Kilpatrick say they wanted an energy-efficient “forever home” that would be cheaper to run and more resilient in the future.

Rental remedies

18/5/2026

Ventnor resident Leela Maki: Energy Efficiency Program
made her house more comfortable.

By Dee Smith

ACROSS Bass Coast and South Gippsland, a shift has been happening inside some of the region’s coldest, draughtiest homes.

Since 2023, Mycelia’s Energy Efficiency Program has been working with local households to tackle the everyday problems that make winter harder than it needs to be - heat leaking out through gaps, old appliances working overtime, and bills that climb faster than comfort levels.

The program focuses on the basics that make the biggest difference: draught‑proofing, insulation, servicing existing heating and cooling appliances, and helping people to understand how their home actually uses energy. They’re small, practical upgrades, but the impact is immediate. Homes stay warmer, bills drop and people breathe a little easier.

Ready to buy an EV?

1/5/2026

TRPI volunteer Mary Whelan demonstrates a home EV charger – compact, safe and suitable for most residential properties.

By Celia Whelan

SALES of EVs are surging, thanks to the fuel shortage resulting from war in the Middle East.

Battery electric vehicles accounted for a record 15.4% of new light vehicle sales in Victoria in March 2026, 86 per cent higher than a year earlier.

If you’ve been curious about EVs but aren’t sure where to start, Totally Renewable Phillip Island (TRPI) is hosting a free community information session at the Phillip Island RSL on Saturday - and it’s nothing like visiting a car dealership.

Partnering for plovers

29/4/2026

Plover lovers gathered at Kilcunda to talk progress on plover protection.

By Sally O’Neill

THE room was full of plover lovers recently as West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and partners gathered at Kilcunda on Bunurong Country to talk progress on plover protection as part of their Toward Zero Extinctions: Protect the Eastern Hooded Plover project.

This project is funded by the Australian Government Natural Heritage Trust and delivered by West Gippsland CMA, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel.

Floating wetlands take root

16/4/2026

RMIT-led trial shows improved water quality and biodiversity in farm dams across Bass Coast

By Finn Devlin

An RMIT‑led trial in Bass Coast is showing how floating wetlands could transform the health and productivity of Australia’s 1.8 million farm dams.

The partnership with Melbourne Water and Bass Coast Landcare Network is trialling the floating wetlands on dams across the region. Early results have shown improvements in water quality, biodiversity and emissions reduction.

The floating wetlands act as natural filtration systems, where plants form underwater root matrices that attract a microbial community to help transfer nutrients, trap particles and cool the water. This chain reaction improves both the health and look of the farm dam.

The power trip speeds up… again

3/4/2026

Werner Theinert: "The question is no longer whether – but when – to make the switch."

By Werner Theinert

Since my previous article, The Power Trip Speeds Up (July 17, 2025), the Cheaper Home Batteries Program has gone crazy. More than 200,000 home battery systems have been installed nationwide, with a total installed capacity of the combined systems touching 5GWh in the last few weeks. We are no longer in “first adopter” territory.

In fact, it’s become so popular that the Federal Government will be changing the rules on the May 1 to reduce the 30% discount on the larger battery systems.

I’ve been busy doing presentations for various community organisations, and for friends and neighbours. Discussing solar PV, home batteries, electric vehicles (EVs) and resilience to power outages and communications failures.

Eco made easy

16/2/2026

ABC presenter and festival guest Craig Reucassell will present on simple choices we can all make to help the environment.

By Alice Anderson

ENVIRONMENTAL challenges can often feel overwhelming. The Bass Coast Sustainability Festival is about making big ideas feel simple, practical and fun.

At its heart, the festival is a family-friendly celebration of community, creativity and caring for our environment. It’s designed for curious minds, whether you’re already living sustainably or just starting to ask a few questions about how you can do things a little differently.

Rhyll leads the charge

13/12/2025

UP TO 60 Rhyll households will have their electric hot water systems switched from night-time to daytime operation in a trial that could set a model for renewable energy communities.

The change, from March 1 next year, is designed to make better use of the region’s abundant solar energy by heating water during peak generation hours, between 9am and 3pm. The existing early-morning boost period from 4am to 6am will remain in place.

The trial will be run by Totally Renewable Phillip Island (TRPI) in partnership with AusNet to tackle a growing challenge for renewable energy communities: how to use surplus solar power rather than wasting it.

A nose for trouble

4/12/2025

Trainee dog handler Zoe Kellett with Blaze, who is trained to hunt out foxes.

DOGS and humans alike are being trained to keep Phillip Island fox-free, with Phillip Island Nature Parks expanding its conservation dog team.

Nature Parks received $50,000 from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action Nature Fund and matched support from the Penguin Foundation to recruit a trainee dog handler to improve the response and capability of the conservation dog team.

This year, new trainer Zoe Kellett joined Craig Bester, who brings over 40 years of expertise in conservation dog training and handling.

Zoe and Craig are working with the next generation of detection dogs: Marbee, Milly, Macey and Blaze.

Community spirit blossoms in Coronet Bay

3/9/2025

The threat of wild weather didn't deter locals greening the Coronet Bay foreshore.

By Linda Nicholls

DESPITE a night of wild, windy weather, the sun shone on Coronet Bay the next morning (Saturday, August 30) as locals rolled up their sleeves for a community planting in the Banksia forest along the foreshore.

Those who promised to come, came, and a few extras registered on the day, proving that Coronet Bay’s community spirit is as hardy as the native plants they were putting in the ground.

Nature to the rescue in Western Port

16/8/2025

A landmark project will use mangroves, saltmarsh and seagrass
as the first line of defence against climate change in Western Port.

By Jess Brady

THE Western Port Biosphere and RMIT University have launched a new project to restore critical coastal wetlands and protect Western Port’s communities from the growing impacts of climate change.

Enabled through $900,000 in philanthropic funding from The Ian Potter Foundation and additional contributions from project partners including RMIT, this three-year initiative will restore and protect mangroves and saltmarsh, monitor ecosystem health, and engage private landholders and the broader community in nature-based solutions on Bunurong Country.

Slogans won’t save our beach

23/7/2025

Let’s listen to the coastal engineering experts who’ve done the work on Inverloch Beach.

By Trevor Forge

THE “promo” for the Inverloch Foreshore Action Group community engagement session promised we would learn of “a far better, logical and common sense solution … than what Melbourne bureaucrats are dictating”.

Instead we got more of the same dictatorial, bullying, “do-it-our-way” rhetoric about rock walls and rock bags, and a suggestion that beach nourishment was not favoured by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Anyone who attempted to question “the facts” or put an alternative view was quickly shut down.

The power trip speeds up

17/7/2025

All-electric living

By Werner Theinert

WE’VE done it! We’ve electrified everything! Every box on the sign has been ticked!

The Nissan Leaf (62kWh battery) has over 70,000kms on the clock and the BYD Seal (82.5kWh battery) which arrived in April last year, now has 20,000kms on the clock. The BYD Seal is a truly amazing car. Range anxiety is now a thing of the past with its claimed 600-650km range probably more like 500-550km. This “range anxiety” has been further reduced by the slow but continuing installation of additional EV Charging stations throughout the region.

It’s official. The Western Port Woodlands matter.

8/6/2025

The government has recognised the value of the woodlands. Now to turn recognition into protection.

By Catherine Watson

THE conflict between sand quarrying and protecting biodiversity in the Western Port Woodlands has been a festering sore in the Bass Coast community for more than 30 years.

With 11 quarries already operating in the woodlands, and several more approved, a planning panel for the Bass Coast Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DAL) project was tasked with sorting out the mess.

This was one of many messes they had to deal with but it was the most contested DAL issue, with more than 500 submissions calling for increased protection for the woodlands and a solitary submission from a multinational mining company calling for more protection of sand mining.

In the line of fire

15/5/2025

On December 19 and 20 fire swept through the Gurdies Nature Conservation Reserve, threatening residential and farming properties in the Gurdies and further afield.
Around 192 hectares was burnt including 125 hectares of the reserve and 50 hectares of
the council’s native vegetation reserve. Firefighters managed to save all dwellings,
although sheds and fences were lost.

Mike Clarke in the Gurdies Nature Conservation Reserve, April 2025. “Managing fire for people and wildlife is not rocket science, it’s much more complex than that.”

By Professor Mike Clark

MOST Victorians recognise that we live in a highly flammable landscape and that was really brought out as the Gurdies fire came close to houses adjacent to the reserve.

Fire has been a part of this landscape for millions of years and we know the general narrative that because of that it bounces back, in some cases pretty quickly. In the Gurdies reserve you can see the resprouting from epicormic buds beneath the bark, doing what comes naturally and there's signs of acacia seeds that have been triggered to germinate by the heat or smoke produced by the fire. Superficially you'd say “Oh well, everything's back to normal again."

Living lightly

28/2/2025

Permaculturalist Rock Coleman shared his knowledge at last year’s Garden Gems series.

ARE you interested in growing veggies? Do you want to learn about solar panels and home batteries? Are you trying to live a more sustainable life?

Bass Coast Shire Council has launched Living Lightly Bass Coast - a series of workshops that will run across the year to help residents learn new skills to live more sustainably.

Workshops will be presented by experts that will focus on making homes and communities more affordable, sustainable and resilient.

They build on the success of last year’s Garden Gems and Sustainable Living series.