The water is now within 30 metres of some houses at Lake Sport. By Catherine Watson
RECENTLY I spent a week at Loch Sport. In case you don’t know it, it’s basically a spit of sand between two saltwater lakes. It’s a holiday town of just over 1000 residents with a national park, a coastal park and the 90 Mile Beach all within easy reach.
I knew from a recent Age article that the town is experiencing coastal erosion very much like our own. Just as in Inverloch and Silverleaves, the community is demanding that “they” – the council and Government – solve the problem.
My first impression of Loch Sport: why are there so many Aussie flags flying? When I look at the census result I realise why. Bass Coast might be known as God’s retirement village but we’re youngsters by comparison with Loch Sport where the median age is 63 and 55 per cent are blokes.
RECENTLY I spent a week at Loch Sport. In case you don’t know it, it’s basically a spit of sand between two saltwater lakes. It’s a holiday town of just over 1000 residents with a national park, a coastal park and the 90 Mile Beach all within easy reach.
I knew from a recent Age article that the town is experiencing coastal erosion very much like our own. Just as in Inverloch and Silverleaves, the community is demanding that “they” – the council and Government – solve the problem.
My first impression of Loch Sport: why are there so many Aussie flags flying? When I look at the census result I realise why. Bass Coast might be known as God’s retirement village but we’re youngsters by comparison with Loch Sport where the median age is 63 and 55 per cent are blokes.
Loch Sport fronts Lake Victoria and backs on to Lake Reeve, two saltwater lakes with an opening at Lakes Entrance. On still, sunny days the front beach is a mecca for swimming, kayaking, fishing and boating.
But you soon see signs that all is not well in paradise. The September storm that hammered the Inverloch and Silverleaves beaches also hammered the Loch Sport beach, undermining a bitumen car park, undercutting cliffs, wrecking coastal paths and sweeping away acres of sand. The lake water is now within 30 metres of some houses.
But you soon see signs that all is not well in paradise. The September storm that hammered the Inverloch and Silverleaves beaches also hammered the Loch Sport beach, undermining a bitumen car park, undercutting cliffs, wrecking coastal paths and sweeping away acres of sand. The lake water is now within 30 metres of some houses.
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In the window of the fish and chip shop – now closed – there’s a sign asking people to sign a petition to Parliament seeking a review of the Loch Sport flood overlays that prohibit new businesses and houses being built on land in the overlay zone covering much of the town.
A State Government planning scheme amendment means councils must now factor in a 0.8 metre sea level rise along the Victorian coast. At least a couple of hundred blocks in Loch Sport are affected. Owners who expected to retire or build here are reconsidering their plans.
The result is plain to see in the windows of the sole real estate agent with scores of blocks for sale at bargain prices starting at $85,000. “Nestled on a peaceful street yet within walking distance of Lake Victoria, this expansive beach lot gently slopes down from the road, adorned with scattered tea trees …” The real estate blurb can’t hide the reality..
A State Government planning scheme amendment means councils must now factor in a 0.8 metre sea level rise along the Victorian coast. At least a couple of hundred blocks in Loch Sport are affected. Owners who expected to retire or build here are reconsidering their plans.
The result is plain to see in the windows of the sole real estate agent with scores of blocks for sale at bargain prices starting at $85,000. “Nestled on a peaceful street yet within walking distance of Lake Victoria, this expansive beach lot gently slopes down from the road, adorned with scattered tea trees …” The real estate blurb can’t hide the reality..
Other owners have erected hand-made signs. “FOR SALE, phone Joe.” In an effort to make their blocks more attractive to potential buyers, some have cut down every tree and sprayed the grass with Roundup. They needn’t have bothered since families of kangaroos – entirely uninterested in humans – roam the town keeping the vacant blocks freshly mown.
The beachside mansions would not look out of place on Inverloch’s Esplanade, but I get the feeling that nature is reclaiming this place. Is it a foretaste of what’s to come in Bass Coast?
There has been much criticism of the rescue plan for the Inverloch beach, a $3 million dune reconstruction that will buy us time. The constant call is for hard engineering solutions – rock walls and groynes – so I’m interested to see the measures taken to keep the water at bay in Loch Sport. Over the decades concrete, rock and wooden groynes have been installed and gradually extended the length of the main beach
The beachside mansions would not look out of place on Inverloch’s Esplanade, but I get the feeling that nature is reclaiming this place. Is it a foretaste of what’s to come in Bass Coast?
There has been much criticism of the rescue plan for the Inverloch beach, a $3 million dune reconstruction that will buy us time. The constant call is for hard engineering solutions – rock walls and groynes – so I’m interested to see the measures taken to keep the water at bay in Loch Sport. Over the decades concrete, rock and wooden groynes have been installed and gradually extended the length of the main beach
The groynes have created a series of coves on the Loch Sport beach. Image: Google Earth
They’re a partial success. The prevailing north-westerly winds that sweep across the lake have stacked sand on the western side of the groynes and scoured it out on the eastern side, creating a series of coves. The foreshore management committee is now seeking State Government funding for more groynes to protect houses.
Even on Lake Victoria, there is significant erosion between the groynes. I can't see them lasting long on a surf beach. Perhaps they would slow erosion at Silverleaves although there are always unintended consequences when you mess with the sea. We know from our own experience that installing eight new groynes on the bay beach at Cowes East exacerbated erosion on the Silverleaves beach.
All along the Loch Sport beach there are signs of earlier attempts to halt the erosion, slabs of concrete that have been smashed and dumped by raging lake waters, scattered rocks, makeshift groynes made of the uprooted tea trees and banksias. Lots of things that must have seemed like a good idea at the time.
Even on Lake Victoria, there is significant erosion between the groynes. I can't see them lasting long on a surf beach. Perhaps they would slow erosion at Silverleaves although there are always unintended consequences when you mess with the sea. We know from our own experience that installing eight new groynes on the bay beach at Cowes East exacerbated erosion on the Silverleaves beach.
All along the Loch Sport beach there are signs of earlier attempts to halt the erosion, slabs of concrete that have been smashed and dumped by raging lake waters, scattered rocks, makeshift groynes made of the uprooted tea trees and banksias. Lots of things that must have seemed like a good idea at the time.
I come across a different approach in one section – it looks like several beached submarines jutting into the sea. I realise they’re immense sand bags and they seem to be performing a little better than the rock groynes though there is still erosion between them.
A woman walking her dogs stops for a chat. I ask her how long the sand bags have been there. She’s been here 13 years and they were here when she came. She’s been told it’s a Swedish design and they were very expensive.
She says coming to live in Loch Sport is the best decision she’s ever made. “I love it here. We walk on the beach every day and the bird life is incredible.”
I ask her if she worries about the coastal erosion. “Of course,” she says, “but it’s nature. You can’t stop it. People whinge and say the council’s got to do something or the Government’s got to fix it. I think we should just enjoy it while it’s here.”
Given that Victoria has close to 2000 kms of coastline, constantly eroding, it sounds like a sane response.
A woman walking her dogs stops for a chat. I ask her how long the sand bags have been there. She’s been here 13 years and they were here when she came. She’s been told it’s a Swedish design and they were very expensive.
She says coming to live in Loch Sport is the best decision she’s ever made. “I love it here. We walk on the beach every day and the bird life is incredible.”
I ask her if she worries about the coastal erosion. “Of course,” she says, “but it’s nature. You can’t stop it. People whinge and say the council’s got to do something or the Government’s got to fix it. I think we should just enjoy it while it’s here.”
Given that Victoria has close to 2000 kms of coastline, constantly eroding, it sounds like a sane response.