The late John Clarke: “The problems are quite easily identifiable. They’re not going to be easy to fix, but we have to do it. We caused them; it’s up to us now.” Photo: Trust for Nature. By Neil Daly
EARLIER this year, January 21, 2021 to be precise, I began sending emails to 28 State Members of Parliament.
These emails focused on the need for a Western Port Strategic Management Plan (WPSMP). Each email gave them an online link to the articles I had written about the subject in The Waterline News and the Bass Coast Post.
This part of my journey is now over, and I have sent the following email to the parliamentary representatives:
“As a way of closing this Chapter on my request for you to consider the Western Port Strategic Management Plan, I invite you to watch the video called Western Port – Cherished and Challenged.
EARLIER this year, January 21, 2021 to be precise, I began sending emails to 28 State Members of Parliament.
These emails focused on the need for a Western Port Strategic Management Plan (WPSMP). Each email gave them an online link to the articles I had written about the subject in The Waterline News and the Bass Coast Post.
This part of my journey is now over, and I have sent the following email to the parliamentary representatives:
“As a way of closing this Chapter on my request for you to consider the Western Port Strategic Management Plan, I invite you to watch the video called Western Port – Cherished and Challenged.
“It is presented by the late John Clarke on behalf of the Western Port Seagrass Partnership. While it was made some 12 years ago, the environmental issues spoken about in the
documentary are still relevant and still confronting us today.
“My message that we need a Western Port Strategic Management Plan is not new. The credit for nurturing the concept belongs to the late Emeritus Professor John Swan, AO, the first chair and a founding director of the Western Port Seagrass Partnership.
“In launching the video, on June 10, 2009, Professor Swan said:
I would like to make a contrast between Western Port and its catchment now, and the rather different situation of 36 years ago (the Shapiro Study). And a further contrast with the
environment 200 years ago.
At the start of the 18th Century when British and French sailors first entered Western Port, there were thousands of seals, tens of thousands of black swans and ducks, uncountable numbers of short-tailed shearwaters (mutton birds) and vast quantities of fish and shell fish, especially mussels and oysters. The extensive seagrass meadows played a major role in fuelling the entire food chain within Western Port.
Thirty-six years ago, changes were already evident – many of the fringing mangrove forests had been cut down, and many salt marshes had been reclaimed for cattle grazing. But the seagrass meadows were still extensive. At low tide, looking westward from the mouth of the Lang Lang River across the bay to French Island and beyond, it was green, green seagrass between meandering channels of water. Now that same view at low tide is black, black mud. And the 2-metre high cliffs on which you are standing, the edge of the former Koo Wee Rup swamp, are crumbling into the sea and retreating at 1-2 metres per year.
The important CSIRO/Melbourne Water study of a few years ago showed that about 100,000 tons of sediment now enters the top of the bay each year, about two-thirds from catchment erosion and one-third from shoreline erosion. One hundred and twenty years ago, most of the soil moving down the creeks and rivers was trapped in the vast Koo Wee Rup swamp, and only clean water overflowed into the bay. The swamp was drained in the 1890s and that land now supports highly productive farms. The deleterious consequences for water quality, and the related health of the seagrass meadows, were never foreseen.
Thirty-six years ago, the Government of Richard Hamer combined with the major industries around Hastings to fund a two-year environmental study of Western Port and its extensive catchment – the so-called Shapiro Study, led by Professor Shapiro from the United States. The earlier Bolte Government had hoped to see extensive industrial development on French Island. As a result of that study, this did not happen. The Shapiro Report is worth another look. I would even argue for a new Shapiro Study, Mark 2, 2010-12.
The world is facing many environmental concerns at present, and action is called for. But before you act you must be informed. That is why, with major support from ExxonMobil, the Western Port Seagrass Partnership has made the informative DVD we are launching today.
The creative inspiration, hard work and technical know-how for this enterprise has come from our Director, John Clarke.
John is a satirist, actor and poet; he not only lives in an ABC television studio, disguised as the Prime Minister and other shady characters, he is also a passionate local resident of Western Port, a ratepayer within the Bass Coast Shire.
"I hope you do get to watch the video for, as John says, 'The problems are quite easily identifiable. They’re not going to be easy to fix, but we have to do it. We caused them; it’s up to us now.'
"I believe the only way to meet John Clarke’s call and to keep faith with Professor Swan’s vision is to implement a Western Port strategic management plan. Failure to do this will see the current multi-layered and piecemeal management style continue – and, so far, this is not working.
"I suggest the time has come to look to the future and, under the stewardship of Melbourne Water, for example, implement a strategic management plan: a legislated plan that deals with Western Port from a holistic perspective; is based on a business model; and takes into account all land up to five kilometres from the high-water mark."
documentary are still relevant and still confronting us today.
“My message that we need a Western Port Strategic Management Plan is not new. The credit for nurturing the concept belongs to the late Emeritus Professor John Swan, AO, the first chair and a founding director of the Western Port Seagrass Partnership.
“In launching the video, on June 10, 2009, Professor Swan said:
I would like to make a contrast between Western Port and its catchment now, and the rather different situation of 36 years ago (the Shapiro Study). And a further contrast with the
environment 200 years ago.
At the start of the 18th Century when British and French sailors first entered Western Port, there were thousands of seals, tens of thousands of black swans and ducks, uncountable numbers of short-tailed shearwaters (mutton birds) and vast quantities of fish and shell fish, especially mussels and oysters. The extensive seagrass meadows played a major role in fuelling the entire food chain within Western Port.
Thirty-six years ago, changes were already evident – many of the fringing mangrove forests had been cut down, and many salt marshes had been reclaimed for cattle grazing. But the seagrass meadows were still extensive. At low tide, looking westward from the mouth of the Lang Lang River across the bay to French Island and beyond, it was green, green seagrass between meandering channels of water. Now that same view at low tide is black, black mud. And the 2-metre high cliffs on which you are standing, the edge of the former Koo Wee Rup swamp, are crumbling into the sea and retreating at 1-2 metres per year.
The important CSIRO/Melbourne Water study of a few years ago showed that about 100,000 tons of sediment now enters the top of the bay each year, about two-thirds from catchment erosion and one-third from shoreline erosion. One hundred and twenty years ago, most of the soil moving down the creeks and rivers was trapped in the vast Koo Wee Rup swamp, and only clean water overflowed into the bay. The swamp was drained in the 1890s and that land now supports highly productive farms. The deleterious consequences for water quality, and the related health of the seagrass meadows, were never foreseen.
Thirty-six years ago, the Government of Richard Hamer combined with the major industries around Hastings to fund a two-year environmental study of Western Port and its extensive catchment – the so-called Shapiro Study, led by Professor Shapiro from the United States. The earlier Bolte Government had hoped to see extensive industrial development on French Island. As a result of that study, this did not happen. The Shapiro Report is worth another look. I would even argue for a new Shapiro Study, Mark 2, 2010-12.
The world is facing many environmental concerns at present, and action is called for. But before you act you must be informed. That is why, with major support from ExxonMobil, the Western Port Seagrass Partnership has made the informative DVD we are launching today.
The creative inspiration, hard work and technical know-how for this enterprise has come from our Director, John Clarke.
John is a satirist, actor and poet; he not only lives in an ABC television studio, disguised as the Prime Minister and other shady characters, he is also a passionate local resident of Western Port, a ratepayer within the Bass Coast Shire.
"I hope you do get to watch the video for, as John says, 'The problems are quite easily identifiable. They’re not going to be easy to fix, but we have to do it. We caused them; it’s up to us now.'
"I believe the only way to meet John Clarke’s call and to keep faith with Professor Swan’s vision is to implement a Western Port strategic management plan. Failure to do this will see the current multi-layered and piecemeal management style continue – and, so far, this is not working.
"I suggest the time has come to look to the future and, under the stewardship of Melbourne Water, for example, implement a strategic management plan: a legislated plan that deals with Western Port from a holistic perspective; is based on a business model; and takes into account all land up to five kilometres from the high-water mark."
******
Chapter 2 is taking shape.
It will start by documenting the Government’s reply to the question put by the Sustainable Australia Party and their supplementary question. Stay tuned for the Government’s second reply may be no different to the first and, if so, it runs the risk of starting another Western Port conflict scenario.
It will start by documenting the Government’s reply to the question put by the Sustainable Australia Party and their supplementary question. Stay tuned for the Government’s second reply may be no different to the first and, if so, it runs the risk of starting another Western Port conflict scenario.