UNLESS the State Government acts now to fund a plan, already prepared by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), for temporary geotextile bag walls to be erected on the foreshore at Silverleaves, homes along Woodland Avenue and Silverleaves Avenue will be severely impacted by the high tides and storm surges of this coming autumn.
In support of this urgent call for funding, and for the government to engage in meaningful discussion with the community about permanent solutions, 300 people turned out at a protest meeting at Silverleaves on Monday morning this week, an impressive number considering the wet weather.
Leading the protest were Woodland Avenue resident Natalie Gray, one of those with a property in the firing line, and Eastern Victoria MP, Melina Bath, the Shadow Minister for Regional Development.
She was joined by other parliamentary colleagues including the Nationals’ water spokesman Tim McCurdy, the Liberals’ Shadow Minister for Ports and Freight, Boating and Fishing Roma Britnell and Eastern Victoria MP Renee Heath.
“If the State Government wants to allow the first line of homes along the foreshore at Silverleaves to fall into Western Port Bay this autumn, they should continue to do nothing,” said Melina Bath.
“But if they want to take action, which is what the community is calling for today, they need to immediately fund a plan of works, already fully researched and submitted for funding by DEECA, for a system of geotextile bags to be introduced as a medium-term response to coastal erosion while a more permanent solution is arrived at.
“The State Government has already been provided with the plan by DEECA and while they might talk about shared responsibility with the Federal Government, it’s on Crown Land and overwhelmingly the responsibility of the State Government.
“Unless this is funded as a matter of urgency, and work started as soon as possible, we are going to have the situation where people’s Hills Hoists and verandas will be falling into the sea when the high tides and storm surges hit in autumn this year.
“There’s no time to waste. There is a plan that can be funded, and the government needs to commit to funding it right now.”
As well as agreeing to sponsor a public petition to parliament to that effect, Ms Bath has also called on the Labor Member for Bass, Jordan Crugnale, to get on board.
Ms Crugnale has been contacted for a response.
DEECA confirmed in its ‘Silverleaves Coastal Adaptation Project Update #2’ (October 2024) that it had developed designs and costings “for short-term works to protect the highly impacted terminal scour area at the end of the rock revetment” featuring the preferred option for a geotextile revetment “that can be modified, relocated or removed in the future to align with final adaptation options” and that these plans had been submitted to government for funding.
“We are continuing to seek funding for the revetment through grants and budget bids and we will keep the community updated as things progress.”
That was in October, but the government is yet to make a financial commitment.
“With 250 to 300 people turning out on the beach on a day like this, I think the message to the government should be loud and clear,” Ms Bath said.
“The government has known for years that this was coming but now the situation is at crisis point.”
As well as Monday’s protest meeting, the community will be launching a petition this week, calling for the geotextile bag initiative to be funded immediately. The petition is being sponsored by Melina Bath and if necessary, will be used to call on a debate in the parliament when MPs return in February, although in reality, it can’t wait that long.
