What Inverloch's surf beach could look like after the dune project. Illustration: DEECA.
By Catherine Watson
ANTICIPATION is building in Inverloch as the long-awaited dune reconstruction project moves from planning to reality.
Contractors are currently preparing a pipeline that will soon be laid along the foreshore to transport a sand slurry that will replenish the Surf Beach.
Around 100,000 cubic metres of sand will be pumped from Anderson Inlet to rebuild the dune along Surf Beach, from the western arm of Wreck Creek to Ozone Street, east of the Surf Club. The work will be carried out in 50-metre sections, starting at the eastern end.
Sand pumping is expected to begin in mid-April and finish by mid-June.
For Philip Heath, leader of the South Gippsland Conservation Society’s Coastal Resilience Project, the start of works brings both relief and a touch of nerves.
“There is always an element of luck involved. If we get big storms during or after the work, before the sand settles, we could lose a portion of it.
“But I’m feeling positive. After all this time it’s great to see we’re close to a start.”
“There is always an element of luck involved. If we get big storms during or after the work, before the sand settles, we could lose a portion of it.
“But I’m feeling positive. After all this time it’s great to see we’re close to a start.”
Inverloch surf lifesaving tower soon after installation, 2015. The project marks the culmination of more than a decade of work. Concern about coastal erosion began to mount in the mid-2010s as Inverloch’s famously dynamic beach started retreating at an alarming rate.
In response, the Conservation Society undertook a wide-ranging study, drawing on specialist advice in geomorphology, ecology, cultural heritage and economics to explore possible responses.
Its 2019 Inverloch Coastal Resilience Report was widely regarded as a groundbreaking effort for a community group, helping to position Inverloch at the front of the queue for government support.
In response, the Conservation Society undertook a wide-ranging study, drawing on specialist advice in geomorphology, ecology, cultural heritage and economics to explore possible responses.
Its 2019 Inverloch Coastal Resilience Report was widely regarded as a groundbreaking effort for a community group, helping to position Inverloch at the front of the queue for government support.
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The State Government stepped in, appointing a multi-agency team and committing significant funding to develop a long-term response.
The dune reconstruction project has since grown from an estimated $3 million to about $5 million. The State Government also contributed $700,000 to repair and extend the geotextile sandbag wall in front of the Surf Club, which will be buried under the new dune for extra protection. While the community remains divided – many still want a rock wall – the Conservation Society has backed the dune rebuild as the most feasible option. |
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The solution is not permanent. The sand will gradually shift and diminish over time, but it is expected to buy valuable breathing space.
“The Cape to Cape team have done the modelling and they believe it will last five to 10 years,” Mr Heath said. “It’s not just a one-off. There will be a series of renourishments over the next 20 to 30 years.”
Revegetation will play a key role in stabilising the rebuilt dune. The sand will first be left to settle while rain leaches out salt, before reshaping creates a more natural profile.
Local groups, including the Wonthaggi Seedbank and Nursery and the Barb Martin Bush Bank, are preparing around 20,000 tubestock for planting in spring, likely to begin in late September or early October.
Restoration specialist and former Conservation Society president Ed Thexton helped co-ordinate the plant list and establish the most effective planting techniques.
The Inverloch project is expected to deliver valuable lessons, potentially serving as a model for other coastal communities across Victoria and Australia. The Conservation Society plans to monitor the works, including with drone footage, beach surveys and monthly review of satellite imagery.
“The Cape to Cape team have done the modelling and they believe it will last five to 10 years,” Mr Heath said. “It’s not just a one-off. There will be a series of renourishments over the next 20 to 30 years.”
Revegetation will play a key role in stabilising the rebuilt dune. The sand will first be left to settle while rain leaches out salt, before reshaping creates a more natural profile.
Local groups, including the Wonthaggi Seedbank and Nursery and the Barb Martin Bush Bank, are preparing around 20,000 tubestock for planting in spring, likely to begin in late September or early October.
Restoration specialist and former Conservation Society president Ed Thexton helped co-ordinate the plant list and establish the most effective planting techniques.
The Inverloch project is expected to deliver valuable lessons, potentially serving as a model for other coastal communities across Victoria and Australia. The Conservation Society plans to monitor the works, including with drone footage, beach surveys and monthly review of satellite imagery.