Dredging wrapping up as community mobilises for dune planting day

THE INVERLOCH shoreline is about to enter a green phase as the heavy machinery and dredging pipes that have lined the Inverloch foreshore for the past two months are about to be officially packed up within weeks.

MARKING a pivotal transition in the town’s battle against coastal erosion the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), alongside project partner Hall Contracting are in the final stages of finishing the high-profile Inverloch dune reconstruction and beach nourishment project.

Attention is now shifting from the massive engineering and sand relocation task to biological preservation, with the launch of a major dune revegetation campaign designed to lock the new shoreline in place.

To kickstart this crucial green phase a massive Community Planting Day has been revealed for Saturday, August 22, 2026. Local residents, holidaymakers, and environmental advocates will gather at the Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club at 10am.

The event is set to offer the community a hands-on role in securing the future of their beloved coastline. The immediate goal of the planting day is sand dune stabilisation. By planting deep-rooted native species directly into the freshly deposited sand, volunteers hope to reduce severe wind erosion and rebuild natural dune structures.

This community-driven event is being run as a collaborative effort alongside the South Gippsland Conservation Society, DEECA, and the Inverloch Coastal Action Network. Beyond engineering stability, the broader objective is to restore native wildlife habitats that were disrupted by successive seasons of severe storm surges and subsequent heavy construction.

Project managers stress that community involvement is not just a feel-good exercise, but a necessity for the project's long-term viability. As part of a dynamic and unpredictable coastal environment, a certain degree of sand movement and natural loss over time is entirely expected.

It is anticipated the planned revegetation will act as a living shield, binding loose sand together and significantly supporting the long-term effectiveness of the reconstructed dune system.

While the community day marks a significant milestone, it is only the first step in a much larger ecological blueprint. A comprehensive spring program will roll out across September, October, and November 2026.

This full-scale dune stabilisation and native shrub planting initiative will be executed by DEECA, Bass Coast Shire Council, and the South Gippsland Conservation Society.

Strategically timed, the broader spring rollout will begin in earnest once the newly added beach renourishment sand settles and finds its natural equilibrium against the incoming tides.

Until the roots take hold and the landscape stabilises, project officials are urging the public to remain vigilant. Beachgoers are reminded to respect the vulnerable state of the newly formed environment.

For public safety and to protect the fragile young seedlings from being trampled, signs and fencing have been erected along critical zones. Visitors must continue to stay outside the flagged-off construction and planting zones, keeping strictly to designated access tracks.

The wrapping up of Hall Contracting’s dredging operations will bring a sense of quiet back to the Surf Parade beachfront as the sand dredging team moves to their next project in bayside Melbourne at Middle Park.

The real work of coastal resilience is just beginning. With the community planting day less than three weeks away, Inverloch residents have a unique opportunity to help anchor their town's primary natural defences against the impacts of climate change.