THE environmental and financial cost of not protecting Inverloch from coastal erosion “is far greater than the cost of protecting it” and that cost extends to the mental health of residents in the firing line.
That’s the view of new Bass Coast Shire Councillor Meg Edwards who took the opportunity of her first council meeting on Wednesday this week to raise a matter of Urgent Business, the “immediate protection of key assets at Inverloch in response to coastal erosion”, for which she received the unanimous support of the new council.
Cr Edwards moved the following motion:
“That the officers prepare a report to be presented to the December 2024 Council meeting addressing the following matters:
* That options other than sand renourishment for medium term solutions (3-4 years) including at least, including type of mitigation, for example, extending the length of geotextile sandbags or other measures, time to implement and indicative costings
* Ensure safe access to the beach is maintained
* Ensure safety measures are put in place whilst works are undertaken to ensure the safety of those enjoying the Inverloch Surf Beach.”
After having her motion seconded by Cr Ron Bauer, Cr Edwards addressed the council on her reasons for raising it as an item of urgent business and her hopes for an outcome.
During the campaign period recently, I committed to our community that if elected I would advocate for protecting Inverloch and our broader region. I will not fail our community. Over the last week, there has been significant further erosion to the Inverloch foreshore, negating all the sand replenishment works that were carried out in September 2024.
“We are aware that works have commenced there again this morning to repeat what was carried out in September and has since washed away. There is no safe access to the beach.
“While works have been carried out on the beach, they do not enable safe use of the beach concurrently. It is essential that both the surf lifesaving club have access to patrol our coastline and that key infrastructure is protected.
“Our community is calling on council to implement immediate and technically sound works to maintain beach access for the surf lifesaving club patrollers and rescue equipment and general public to enable safe beach use from the first of December, representative community groups to be utilized where feasible, to enable work implementation as quickly as possible and a reduced cost to council.
“Why is this important? Because everybody is impacted. The environmental and financial cost of not protecting Inverloch is far greater than the cost of protecting it. Every person in Inverloch, and more broadly, all of Bass Coast, will be adversely impacted if no action is taken to protect it.
“It is not just the surf club or the houses in the nearby vicinity, if water breaks through, it goes to the lowest point, and that would extend far beyond the area close to the beach.
“People work hard for their homes, have built where permits have been granted by council, and therefore Council has an obligation to do whatever possible to protect both public and private assets.
“If water does destroy infrastructure, there will be the environmental damage of debris in the ocean, and there will be cost of rebuilding both public and private assets. Is the state government going to fund the rebuilding of a new surf club?
“There will be many hundreds of personal lives impacted by the homes being destroyed. The mental health impact on our community is already being severely felt. The sewerage system will be compromised and with the RACV cut off from Inverloch and less tourists in general, every business in Inverloch, many of which are still trying to recover from the lockdown years and now hit with cost-of-living and reduced spending, will be further impacted in trade.
“The impact on businesses will reduce jobs. Reduction of jobs will reduce the number of families in Inverloch, flowing onto impact on the schools and sporting clubs.
“The urgency of protecting Inverloch is critical for everyone to be engaged with. It might ultimately be a state government decision of whether to protect Inverloch or not, but without a community and council that are advocating for it, they won't.
“It is recognised that while emergency short-term works are underway today and that DEECA have indicated an intention to commence more significant sand renourishment in the spring of 2025, there is an immediate need to stabilize the most fragile areas with a non-permanent, yet stable solution that buys some time in years, not days.
“Council's role here is more than strong advocacy. We have a responsibility to act to protect our coastline, community and economy.
“The action from this motion could result in council considering reallocating sufficient funds to do what it takes to adapt to and protect for the medium term.
“This motion gives plenty of wriggle room yet strongly calls for real action and advocacy from Council on behalf of our community. Hindsight can argue where what we need to protect now is, yet the Inverloch Surf Beach and community has been politicised for too long, it is time for action.”
A couple of councillors made comment and asked questions but ultimately voted to support Cr Edwards motion.
Cr Ron Bauer asked if officers would have time to produce a meaningful report by next month’s council meeting and he received a favourable response from the shire’s General Manager Community and Culture Jodi Kennedy who said council officers were members of several of the stakeholder committees and were already in possession of much of the information needed.
Cr Tim O’Brien noted that similar feelings of anguish and fear were being experienced by affected residents at Silverleaves.
Cr Brett Tessari wanted it clarified that the motion didn’t commit council to funding any additional programs or would stop any of the works presently underway.
“These works won’t stop. We’ll be able to pull together some of the research work that’s already been done. There is a lot of information that we can bring to that report.”
The shire CEO Greg Box confirmed that Cr Edwards’ motion did not commit the council to any additional expenditure although Cr Edwards did foreshadow that “action from this motion could result in council considering reallocating sufficient funds to do what it takes to protect Inverloch in the medium term”.
