By Andrew Paloczi
INVERLOCH’S community is up for a fight to get real solutions to tackle coastal erosion and the threat of inundation, turning out in force at a rally near the town’s surf life saving club despite Sunday’s blistering conditions, attendees hearing support for the cause from speakers including new State opposition leader Brad Battin.
The inundation threat to the Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club, houses and the road to Cape Paterson were key concerns raised, with the message delivered loud and clear that those present do not accept the approach of adaptation and retreat and want decisive action from the State Government.
Hard engineering solutions are being called for, with speakers urging the required funding to be made available and driving home the message that to do nothing or take ineffective and financially wasteful measures will ultimately cost more than investing in what is needed.
Mr Battin argued that the local surf life saving club could be saved from the threat of inundation for just a few million dollars, declaring the building would cost $10 to $15 million to replace if action
isn’t taken, leading to its loss.
He urged the State Government to put in place a long-term solution, questioning why such action has occurred in Apollo Bay but not Inverloch.
“We have said to the government, ‘We can’t wait for the next election’,” Mr Battin declared, saying the threat is too great and adding that if action isn’t taken, the opposition will ensure the Inverloch situation is an issue at the next State election, promising to keep visiting the town and demanding action on behalf of its community.
Earlier in the rally, chairman of the Inverloch Foreshore Action Group Paul Cross was adamant the community won’t accept a retreat and adapt approach to erosion and inundation, noting there have been four years of talk and no result.
He said 120 metres of foreshore has been lost over 12 years and nothing has been done, with the tide coming in and washing away replacement sand.
“We’re just throwing money away,” he said of that approach, stressing hard engineering is required.
Bass Coast Shire Mayor Rochelle Halstead urged the State Government to come to the party and do something on the ground to keep the life saving club operational, while locally raised Olympian Drew Ginn described the situation as “a crisis”.
Conceding the ocean and beach are always changing, he added “To not do something about something so important to us all as a community is a travesty.”
Mr Ginn noted the surf life saving club building was completed in 2011, reflecting on all the club offers through its training, Nippers program and other initiatives, and raising the prospect of fatalities without lifesavers to watch over people.
He also spoke of the threat to houses and the coastal road to Cape Paterson, questioning why anyone would allow that to happen and imploring the government to do something about it, then leading a “Save the beach” chant.
Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club president Glenn Arnold confirmed the immediate risk to the facility from inundation, stressing the extensive community involvement the club has and the fact its building is used by a range of other organisations.
Glenn Morris of Inverloch Tourism Association, who is also a civil engineer, along with other speakers noted the $3.3 million of funding provided by the Federal Government towards addressing the
Inverloch situation, declaring it is less than half of what is needed and asking all levels of government to commit to adequate funding.
He spoke of the Cape to Cape Resilience Plan and the pathway it presents for the future of Inverloch.
“The key pathway they talk about is to protect Inverloch Surf Beach by dune reconstruction before inevitable retreat,” he said.
“We have real concerns about that approach that we’ve already expressed collectively with other community groups,” Mr Morris said.
He stressed an engineering review needs to be undertaken to consider all hard engineering options, not just seawalls, with options such as a groyne or a submerged artificial reef, Mr Morris highlighting successful approaches taken elsewhere.
“The report says that the economic loss to the State and the community if nothing is done on the beach is $7.2 million per annum,” Mr Morris said, adding “That justifies a significant amount of money being spent to deal with the problem at Inverloch (with) a long-term solution.”
Speakers were introduced by former State opposition leader Alan Brown who demanded immediate action.
“That $3.3 million (Federal funding) should be used now, starting next month, February, to put up a proper permanent protective barrier around this clubhouse and put (in place) a protective rock wall to stop that road being lost,” he said, adding “The time for action is now!”
Mr Brown earlier explained that should houses be lost to inundation, insurance won’t cover them.
Unsurprisingly, those present unanimously backed his call for immediate action.
After the addresses, Mr Brown put forward the following motion which was carried unanimously by the remaining near 700 attendees on the beach.
Attendees at the public rally held on the Inverloch foreshore on Sunday, January 5, 2025, call on the Victorian State Government to reject any policy of retreat and as a matter of extreme urgency put
in place permanent protective measures to,
1) permanently protect the Inverloch Surf Life Saving Clubhouse
2) permanently protect the Inverloch road known as Surf Parade and the coastal road between Inverloch and Cape Paterson
3) restore, permanently protect and replant the dune formation in the locality of the Inverloch Surf Life Saving Clubhouse and shoreline where necessary, to permanently protect the roads.
Mr Brown called the result stunning and said it reflected the view of the wider community as well and he thanked the crowd for their support.
“This outcome ends for all time, any suggestion that the local community is prepared to support any policy of retreat,” he said.
“The community have now made their view known loud and clear and they want immediate action to permanently protect the Inverloch foreshore, the Surf Lifesaving Clubhouse and the abutting roads and they want works commenced next month. After the coming winter’s high tides and violent storms, when even more severe damage will be done, is too late” he said.
“The time for action is now. No more committees, no reference groups, no more kicking the can down the road” he said.
Mr Brown said that if the temperature on the day had not been 38 degrees, many more people would have turned out to support their community.
“Without doubt, had the day not been excessively hot, well over 1000 people would have
attended the rally.
“The will of the people is now crystal clear, they want the erosion crisis permanently addressed and they want immediate action now.”
He said people should follow the Inverloch Action Group Facebook page to be kept informed of developments.
