delwp.vic.gov.au

Issue 02 March 2020

Welcome to the second issue of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning’s (DELWP’s) quarterly marine and coasts newsletter, including Coastcare Victoria’s Coastline. In this issue… • Marine and Coastal Policy released

• Coastal protection projects across the Barwon South West, Gippsland and Port Phillip regions

• Statewide Coastal Asset Management Database (CAMS)

• Assessment of Victoria’s Coastal Reserves

• Victorian Marine and Coastal Awards

• Coastcare – Coastline

Please email marine.coasts@delwp.vic.gov.au to subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter and for more information.

Marine and coastal policy reforms Marine and Coastal Policy On 6 March 2020, a new statewide Marine and Coastal Policy (the Policy) came into operation in Victoria.

The Victorian Government has prepared the Policy with guidance from the Victorian Marine and Coastal Council.

The Policy was developed following consultation with Traditional Owners, key government and non-

DELWP marine and coasts newsletter

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government groups and with input gathered from public consultation during 2019.

The Policy guides decision makers, including local councils and land managers, in the planning, management and sustainable use of our marine and coastal environment.

The Policy provides direction on dealing with issues such as the impacts of climate change, population growth and ageing coastal infrastructure.

It also includes Victoria’s first Marine Spatial Planning Framework that sets out how industry, government and the community can work together to better plan for how we use and protect the marine environment.

DELWP has also started work to develop a Marine and Coastal Strategy (the Strategy) to help put the Policy into practice. The Strategy will include the actions needed to achieve the outcomes of the Policy and will be the key mechanism to address new and challenging issues. A draft Strategy will be released for public consultation in mid-2020 with the final Strategy to be released in early 2021. The Strategy will be reviewed every five years.

To learn more about the Marine and Coastal Policy visit marineandcoasts.vic.gov.au/coastal-management/marine-and-coastal-policy.

Coastal protection projects Ocean Grove Main Beach access ramp and rock revetment The Ocean Grove Main Beach is undergoing works to replace the existing beach access ramp and construct a 40 metre rock revetment.

Access ramp works at Ocean Grove Main Beach

These newly built coastal protection structures will provide foreshore protection from high energy coastal processes, and prevent continued shoreline recession impacting toilet facilities, car park and the recently refurbished Surf Life Saving Club. These facilities provide a significant public benefit for the community and visitors to the beach, and the works ensure the long-term viability of existing assets and safe access to the coast.

A temporary ramp was built to maintain beach access during the site closure over January, with the ramp demolished in early February to enable final placement of concrete columns. Works on the rock revetment are expected to be finished in April 2020.

The project was funded through the 2018-19 Coastal Protection Infrastructure Upgrade Program and Coastal Environment Program with a co-contribution from the Barwon Coast Committee of Management.

The rock revetment at Ocean Grove Main Beach

Lakes Entrance seawall replacement – stage 2 Construction works to replace an old bluestone seawall with a concrete panel seawall featuring a boardwalk will commence shortly in Cunninghame Arm, Lakes Entrance. The replacement seawall is the same design as the seawall constructed at Lakes Entrance in stage 1 of this project (you can read more about stage 1 at marineandcoasts.vic.gov.au/coastal-programs/gippsland-projects).

Stage 2 works are expected to be completed by end of August 2020.

Inverloch sand-filled geotextile container wall Construction has commenced on a 70 metre sand-filled sandbag wall to help protect the Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club building from erosion, with works expected to be completed by mid-March 2020. Approximately 200

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2.5 tonne sandbags and 4,000m3 of sand will be used for the construction.

The structure is intended as a short-term solution until a Local Coastal Hazard Assessment (LCHA) and an options analysis can identify a long-term solution as part of the Inverloch Regional and Strategic Partnership (RaSP) pilot project.

More information about this project can be found at marineandcoasts.vic.gov.au/coastal-programs/gippsland-projects.

Portsea sandbag seawall Repair works to the Portsea sandbag seawall have recommenced after the summer break. Upcoming works will involve removing the old sandbags and then replacing them with larger new sandbags that have been filled off-site.

Pedestrian access to the pier will be maintained throughout works, and the temporary rock wall remain in place to protect workers whilst the works are completed.

The scaffold stairs have been removed and beach access via this route is closed. The Mornington Peninsula Shire Council have upgraded an existing informal beach access steps down the cliff opposite Norfolk Drive to provide a safer, all-tide beach access path. Some minor improvements to the coastal path along the Crown foreshore land will likely occur to connect with the pier.

The Portsea sandbag seawall

The Portsea sandbag seawall

Rosebud beach renourishment Following the successful completion of a beach renourishment at Rosebud West Beach in December 2019, the beach east of Rosebud Pier was also renourished in February 2020.

This area had been subject to severe coastal erosion in recent years that caused the beach to narrow significantly, allowing waves to overtop the popular Bay Trail boardwalk and impact upon foreshore vegetation. Coastal engineers identified dredging and beach renourishment was the most suitable option to address these erosion issues.

Approximately 10,600m3 of sand was dredged from an identified borrow site 300 to 500 metres offshore and pumped onto the beach. The Rosebud (East) renourishment covers a 300 metre stretch of coastline, widening the beach by over ten metres to better protect the foreshore and Bay Trail boardwalk, as well as creating more opportunities for recreation.

This project was fully funded by the Port Phillip Bay Beach Renourishment Program.

Excavation of sand occurring on site at Rosebud Beach, 12 February 2020

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Rosebud Beach renourished, 18 February 2020

Marine and coastal knowledge Statewide Coastal Assets Management Database (CAMS) – it’s all in the numbers The DELWP Coastal Assets Management Database (CAMS) continues to expand since its inception in June 2019. CAMS is the primary resource for information on Victoria’s coastal infrastructure (including seawalls, revetments, groynes and breakwaters).

CAMS records data for over 1,700 structures. End to end, these structures total 234 kilometres of protection for Victoria’s coastal communities in a very dynamic environment.

Condition assessments form part of DELWP’s ongoing obligation of maintaining such a large portfolio. DELWP officers have now loaded over 200 inspection reports into CAMS and identified 88 additional defects.

DELWP officer conducting an asset inspection, Parkdale

Coastal protection asset inspection reports from across the department, including 1,820 asset photos to date, are also progressively being uploaded into the statewide database.

The strength of this data is in the reporting and analytics it provides. Overall condition, defect details and frequency of inspections provide valuable information which in turns supports the framework for sound coastal protection measures.

Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) Assessment of Victoria’s Coastal Reserves The Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) will publicly release the final report for the Assessment of Victoria’s Coastal Reserves in mid- March 2020.

As part of the assessment, VEAC has compiled an inventory of values and uses of the coastal reserves. The inventory includes Crown land information for each of the 237 coastal reserve land units.

You can view the inventory, final report, online mapping and other associated materials at veac.vic.gov.au shortly.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the project and provided information to inform the inventory.

Please contact VEAC for more information at veac.vic.gov.au/contact-us.

Victorian Marine and Coastal Awards 2020

The Victorian Marine and Coastal Council have been overwhelmed with the number and calibre of nominations received across all seven categories for Victorian Marine and Coastal Awards.

Planning continues for the Awards ceremony to be held at South Wharf, Shed 11 on 22 May 2020.

Invitations to register for this gala event will be sent out at the end of March.

For more information, visit marineandcoastalcouncil.vic.gov.au.

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Summer by the Sea makes waves Coastcare Victoria wrapped-up its 25th season of Summer by the Sea in January.

Hundreds of volunteers, community groups and local businesses helped deliver over 300 activities from 2-26 January. The events attracted more than 11,000 participants from Lakes Entrance in the east to Nelson in the west.

Some of this year’s crowd favourites included:

• Come and Try Fishing, Rockpool Rambles and Wadawurrung Cultural Heritage Education on the Bellarine and Surf Coast

• Traditional seaweed bag making, Childers Cove geology walks and snorkelling in the state’s south west

• Rye Seaside Scavenge Festival, wildlife displays and Aboriginal coastal discovery around Melbourne

• Mandy Watson’s southern right whale presentation, the Coastcare education trailer and the ReefWatch Sea Slug Census in South Gippsland.

Unfortunately, East Gippsland’s activities were cancelled due to the impact from bushfires, however the team is planning to reschedule these later in the year to support the region’s recovery.

Summer by the Sea is continuously evolving, and this year brought additional opportunities to engage and collaborate with Traditional Owners.

Participants across the state said they felt honoured to be involved in activities led by Traditional Owners, including a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony by Uncle Shane and Bradley from the Bunurong Land Council, who shared their stories about Indigenous artefacts, middens and historical sites of significance.

Uncle Shane from the Bunurong Land Council performed a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony at Inverloch

Coastcare has also been working to ensure people with a disability can participate in a wider range of activities, liaising with cultural and linguistically diverse (CALD) groups to determine barriers for participation and ways to support involvement.

Enjoying snorkelling for people with a disability at Beaumaris

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Coastcare Coordinator Bec Cross was pleased with the success of the activities. “The program’s high attendance and positive feedback shows that Victorians are keen to learn more about the different elements of Victoria’s precious coastline,” Ms Cross said.

After taking part in the activities, participants said they were highly likely to act to improve marine and coastal environments as a result of what they had learnt.

Feedback from last year’s program found that:

• 81% of participants surveyed learned something new about how they can help

• 23% expected to change their rubbish-disposal habits

• 24% planned to undertake direct action such as volunteer work and

• 55% were motivated to share what they had learnt with others.

Summer by the Sea is an annual Coastcare Victoria program which promotes community stewardship of Victoria’s diverse marine and coastal environments. It has been running since 1995, with 2020 marking the program’s 25th birthday.

“The Coastcare team thanks everyone who hosted, supported and took part in the events, especially all the volunteers that helped make this year’s program such a success,” Ms Cross said.

You can see more photos and videos from the 2020 program on Instagram @summerbythesea_vic, or Facebook/Summerbythesea.

Send your story and WIN! Help mark 25 years of Coastcare Victoria with a special Coastline edition Coastcare Victoria is celebrating 25 years of supporting volunteers to protect and enhance Victoria’s 2,000 kilometres of Coastline.

The Victorian Government first launched the Coastcare Victoria program in 1994, making Victoria the first state in Australia to formally support its coastal volunteers.

The Coastcare team is planning a special edition 25 Years of Coastcare Coastline magazine for release in mid-2020 to celebrate the success of coastal and marine volunteers and community groups.

The Coastline newsletter in years gone by

We would love to hear your stories, however long or short, about your marine and coastal volunteering work in Victoria over the past 25 years. 

Prizes will be awarded by the Coastcare Victoria team for most outstanding contribution in each of the following categories:

1. Most inspiring story

2. Best photo

3. Best example of collaboration

4. The quiet achiever

5. Lifetime achievement

6. Working with youth

7. Working with multicultural groups

8. Caring for Country (Aboriginal heritage project, protection or partnership).

Prizes include copies of Native Trees and Shrubs by Leon Costermans, 25 Years of Coastcare edition outdoor shirts, and some special marine and coastal prints.

Below are some questions to get you thinking about your involvement in marine and coastal stewardship in Victoria:

• What have your greatest achievements been? 

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• How did it all start?  

• What has changed?  

• What have you learned? 

• Where are you headed in the future?

• Who has inspired or supported the cause?

• Can you write a profile of a volunteer, a community organisation, a project or a special coastal/marine location?

• Do you have a great photo you would like to share? Tell us the story behind that photo.

Please send your story to coastcare.victoria@delwp.vic.gov.au by 30 March 2020, and include the following:

• high resolution photos with caption

• name

• organisation

• location

• contact email

• contact phone.

You will now find Coastline articles within the pages of this quarterly DELWP marine and coasts newsletter, and are welcome to submit your stories to marine.coasts@delwp.vic.gov.au at any time.

The Coastline newsletter in years gone by

Coastcare Community Grants Program 2020 Applications for the 2020 Coastcare Victoria Community Grants Program, which supports communities to protect and enhance Victoria’s 2,000 kilometres of coastline, are now open.

In celebration of its 25th year, Coastcare Victoria is offering more funds and larger grants to Victorian community groups through its Community Grants Program.

Up to $495,000 will be available to Victorian community groups, with individual grants of up to $30,000 for eligible projects to conserve, restore and rehabilitate Victoria’s coastal and marine environments.

The Coastcare Victoria Community Grants program is funded by the Victorian Government’s Sustainability Fund, which seeks to build community capacity, support community adaptation and improve ecosystem resilience to climate change.

There is a new category of funding available this year, along with the regular Stewardship and Education category which focuses on activities that conserve, rehabilitate, and restore coastal and marine ecosystems.

The new Strengthening our Volunteer Groups category encourages community groups to consider ways to expand, diversify volunteer bases and create opportunities to engage volunteers from different backgrounds, cultures, nationalities and abilities.

This category is seeking projects that will rethink volunteering to capitalise on the different ways people want to volunteer and improve volunteer recruitment and retention.

Contact your local Coastcare Facilitator now to start a discussion about your potential project.

For further information including the Grants Program Guidelines, FAQs and links to start your application go to marineandcoasts.vic.gov.au/coastal-programs/Coastcare-Victoria/coastcare-victoria-community-grants.

Grant applications will close on 7 May 2020.

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Point Ritchie - Moyjil Aboriginal Place By Adam Taylor, Coastcare Victoria Facilitator Far South West

From Point Ritchie in Warrnambool you can gaze out over a basalt reef to the mighty Southern Ocean. In the winter and spring, southern right whales can be seen just a few hundred metres offshore. The occasional seal likes to drop by and frolic amongst the kelp.

Immediately to the east of the headland is the mouth of the Hopkins River. To the west is Lady Bay and the Warrnambool Breakwater. At sunrise and sunset, the view can be breathtaking.

However, there’s more than a stunning vista to Point Ritchie. The rocks beneath your feet, the heath-covered dunes and the life in the Hopkins River tell a great story; the story of a people who lived and gathered at this place, Moyjil, for tens of thousands of years.

In 1979, a young academic, John Sherwood, arrived in Warrnambool from Sydney. Within a short time, he had encountered former National Museum of Victoria Deputy Director Edmund Gill, a scientist whose interests included palaeontology, geology and archaeology. Gill’s connection to Victoria’s South West stretched over decades – he had married Kathleen Brebner in Warrnambool in 1935.

In 1982, Warrnambool naturalist Jim Henry showed Gill and Sherwood an unusual collection of shells situated at the mouth of the Hopkins River.

The shells (Turbo undulatus) and broader area show characteristics of a midden, but the origins of the site were difficult to determine.

In March 2019 research into the origins of the shells and what could be an ancient hearth was published by the Royal Society of Victoria.

Due to the age of the Moyjil site, it has the potential to rewrite our understanding of how humans came to colonise the globe.

The research, produced after several years of study and analysis by scientists from a range of disciplines, can be viewed at the CSIRO publications website.

More information on Moyjil can be found here https://rsv.org.au/moyjil/

Better Buds Campaign By Colleen Hughson, Beach Patrol 3280

Better Buds is a grassroots community campaign that launched in November 2019 at the Koroit Replenish the Planet Festival.

Beach Patrol 3280 along with school groups, businesses and organisations have come together in Warrnambool to tackle the cotton bud marine pollution issue.

Watch Warrnambool East School Primary School’s video here:

facebook.com/betterbuds2020/videos/2558219931134362/

We want to see Better Buds (friends hanging out) on our beaches, not plastic cotton buds (bad buds).

Since 2017, volunteers in Warrnambool have undertaken 283 beach clean-ups on Shelly Beach to collect cotton bud litter. They photographed and counted what they found.

Cotton bud litter – take the #betterbudspledge

On their worst day, they collected 3,000 cotton buds in just 150 metres, and on the best day they collected two. The amount they collect varies from week to week.

Over time, the numbers added up to an astonishing 21,000 cotton buds collected from just one beach. This weekly data and extensive documentation of the problem shows that cotton bud beach litter is an ongoing issue.

Through surveys and research, volunteers discovered that there are many beaches in Australia polluted by sewage-related cotton bud litter. Because of their high usage and widespread improper disposal (flushing used cotton buds down toilets rather than putting them in the bin), cotton buds are a common plastic pollutant found on beaches throughout the world.

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Even though you may have never heard of or seen cotton bud marine litter, there are more cotton buds collected from Victorian beaches than straws, plastic cutlery and lollipops sticks combined (Australian Marine Debris Initiative Data 2018/2019).

Marine plastic pollution is one of the biggest environmental threats to our oceans and we are adding to this problem daily. Like straws, cotton buds suck because they harm and kill turtles, seabirds and many other marine animals. We don’t want marine life harmed by our plastic.

You can be the change you want to see right now by taking the #betterbudspledge:

I pledge I will not buy or use plastic-stemmed cotton buds and I certainly won’t flush them down the toilet

Here are two more actions you can take that will support our campaign goals enormously:

• raise the profile of cotton bud marine litter by sharing our campaign with friends and on social media

• request your local supermarket stock biodegradable cotton buds.

The Better Buds Campaign has been supported through a Coastcare Victoria Community Grant.

© The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2020 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria as

author. The licence does not apply to any images, photographs or branding, including the Victorian Coat of Arms, the Victorian Government logo and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) logo. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.

Accessibility If you would like to receive this publication in an alternative format, please telephone the DELWP Customer Service Centre on 136186, email customer.service@delwp.vic.gov.au, or via the National Relay Service on 133 677 www.relayservice.com.au. This document is also available on the internet at www.delwp.vic.gov.au.