State Government funds sandbag wall in last-ditch effort to save the Inverloch Surf Lifesaving Club house. Photo: Geoff Ellis By Catherine Watson
A GEOTEXTILE sandbag wall will be installed to try to save the Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club, which is now just eight metres from the edge of the sand dunes.
At Inverloch today, Bass MP Jordan Crugnale announced State Government funding of $450,000 for the sandbag project with another $700,000 to develop long-term solutions over the wider Inverloch marine and coastal area.
“A long-term strategic approach must be taken to protect the social, environmental and economic values of our coastline and foreshores,” she said.
A GEOTEXTILE sandbag wall will be installed to try to save the Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club, which is now just eight metres from the edge of the sand dunes.
At Inverloch today, Bass MP Jordan Crugnale announced State Government funding of $450,000 for the sandbag project with another $700,000 to develop long-term solutions over the wider Inverloch marine and coastal area.
“A long-term strategic approach must be taken to protect the social, environmental and economic values of our coastline and foreshores,” she said.
Ms Crugnale noted the local beach erosion was among the most aggressive in the country. The beach has receded by six metres a year since 2013, and the rate of erosion appears to speeding up, with over a metre of sand dune disappearing over a single weekend in September.
Since then, some $250,000 has been spent on dumping truckloads of sand in front of the clubhouse, but it was always regarded as an emergency, short-term measure to save the clubhouse until the end of the storm surge season.
Most of the sand has already been washed away and another spate of storm surges is predicted next week.
An interagency working group – with representative from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), Bass Coast Shire Council, Parks Victoria, Regional Roads Victoria, Gippsland Ports, and the Bunurong Land Council – has been working on a range of short- and long-term solutions.
DELWP’s Carole Macmillan said geotextile sandbags had been used successfully around many parts of the Victorian coast including Portsea. She said design of the works had been completed and tenders would be called as soon as possible.
It’s hoped the works can be completed in time for the summer beach season.
Bass Coast Mayor Brett Tessari welcomed today’s announcement which he said would give a bit of breathing space.
He said it was understandable that residents and beach goers were growing impatient at the apparent lack of action on the rapidly disappearing beach, but a lot of work had been going on behind the scenes.
The State Government funding will also be used to set up a Regional and Strategic Partnership under the new Marine and Coastal Act 2018 over the wider Inverloch marine and coastal area to inform and tailor strategic, long-term future investment into these coastal areas.
Since then, some $250,000 has been spent on dumping truckloads of sand in front of the clubhouse, but it was always regarded as an emergency, short-term measure to save the clubhouse until the end of the storm surge season.
Most of the sand has already been washed away and another spate of storm surges is predicted next week.
An interagency working group – with representative from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), Bass Coast Shire Council, Parks Victoria, Regional Roads Victoria, Gippsland Ports, and the Bunurong Land Council – has been working on a range of short- and long-term solutions.
DELWP’s Carole Macmillan said geotextile sandbags had been used successfully around many parts of the Victorian coast including Portsea. She said design of the works had been completed and tenders would be called as soon as possible.
It’s hoped the works can be completed in time for the summer beach season.
Bass Coast Mayor Brett Tessari welcomed today’s announcement which he said would give a bit of breathing space.
He said it was understandable that residents and beach goers were growing impatient at the apparent lack of action on the rapidly disappearing beach, but a lot of work had been going on behind the scenes.
The State Government funding will also be used to set up a Regional and Strategic Partnership under the new Marine and Coastal Act 2018 over the wider Inverloch marine and coastal area to inform and tailor strategic, long-term future investment into these coastal areas.