Foreshore Erosion Response

Council is one of many agencies responsible for managing coastal and marine areas. A Regional and Strategic Partnership (RaSP) brings these agencies together to respond to key issues.

The Inverloch RaSP is the first RaSP established under the Marine and Coastal Act 2018, and has 10 partners – Traditional Owners, the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation, and nine agencies with responsibility for managing coastal land, assets and infrastructure in the Inverloch region.

The Inverloch RaSP will work with the community to address ongoing and future coastal erosion and inundation impacts. This includes delivering the Cape to Cape Resilience Project.

Background

While the Inverloch foreshore is protected from the strong westerlies associated with the mid-latitudes, it is vulnerable to southerly winds and storm surge events. These storm surge events are particularly strong in winter, while spring and summer are times of calmer weather, allowing for more sand accretion. In recent years, the volume of sand lost to erosion during storm surge events has greatly exceeded the amount returned to the beach during calmer seasons.

Areas of Concern

The three major areas of concern are the foreshore in front of the Rotary Park picnic area, in front of the Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club and in front of Bunurong Road, as erosion threatens to impact built public assets.

Rotary Park

Council officers have been monitoring the rate of erosion near the Rotary Park barbecue area located to the south of Pymble Avenue for several years. This includes surveying, collecting other data on site and analysing time series aerial photography. This data has been considered in line with a trigger point for intervention that was determined by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

As erosion has continued towards the trigger point, Council officers commenced works to intervene in order to protect the barbecue shelter, public seating and grassed open space. This work has recently culminated in construction plans and costings for a low seawall structure. Officers are currently seeking relevant approvals for this work and construction works are expected to commence within the next few months. Council is mindful of the approaching storm surge season, and making every effort to have this structure in place before the risk to built assets and open space escalates. Construction plans and further information will be posted in our next update to this page in coming weeks.

Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club

The foreshore adjacent to the Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club has seen 33.5 metres of coastline retreat since 2012. Currently, the building is located 16 metres from the face of the dune, with this distance remaining relatively stable since the end of winter.

Bunurong Road

The foreshore adjacent to Bunurong Road, particularly near the Surf Parade intersection, has experienced 35.6 metres of coastline retreat since 2012. The road is currently within six metres of the eroding edge.

Wet-sand fencing

Wet-sand fencing is an erosion control structure installed from the estimated maximum erodible level of the beach. Constructed using thin slats of timber connected by wire, it helps to accumulate and maintain sand, working to rebuild a beach for improved community use.

The structure allows waves to pass through carrying sand while limiting the amount that returns offshore. This is due to its design decreasing the wave energy, allowing sand to settle more easily behind the fence.

Why Wet-sand fencing?

• Low cost and quick to install.
• Minimal impact on the environment.
• When combined with renourishment, retains considerably more sand than renourishment alone.
• Encourages vegetation to advance and help rebuild a beach.

Next Steps

DELWP are working with all stakeholders involved to prepare medium and long-term options for Inverloch Surf Beach. Community engagement will be central to future planning, and we will keep the community informed as the project progresses.

Further Information

For further information regarding coastal protection works at Inverloch, please contact the DELWP Traralgon office on 03 5172 2111.

The Kilcunda Foreshore Erosion Options Assessment Report outlines a study into the impacts of erosion on the Kilcunda foreshore.

We engaged a coastal engineer to undertake the study, to inform the longer-term response to erosion at the Kilcunda Surf Beach, near the Lionel Rose car park. The study investigated the coastal processes influencing erosion in this location and assessed the risk to built public assets. The study also reviewed the options available for the management of ongoing coastal erosion.

This area has seen rapid wave erosion in recent times, which has already impacted public assets such as beach access tracks and the Bass Coast Rail Trail.

We will continue to monitor the area closely, and are now working to deliver on the recommendations of the Report. This includes design work and permits for a re-alignment of the Rail Trail, so that further works can proceed quickly if required.