IN A surprise visit to Bass Coast last week, the Liberal and Nationals Party have laid their cards on the table revealing they would commit $6m for erosion at Inverloch if elected. 

Leader of the Opposition, Matthew Guy, as well as Liberal Candidate for Bass, Aaron Brown and Nationals Candidate for Bass, former shire mayor and current councillor, Brett Tessari made the announcement at Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club.

The funding will go towards addressing erosion at Inverloch Surf Beach, which has seen rapid erosion of the dunes and the coastline rising by almost 70 metres along Wreck Creek in recent years. 

This has caused anxiety in the community on the impact it could have on critical infrastructure and assets, including the Surf Life Saving Club. 

“This is a serious issue right along the Bass Coast, and we must preserve our fragile coastlines so they can be enjoyed for generations to come,” Mr Guy said. 

When asked by the media if there would be further funding to address erosion in other parts of Bass Coast, Mr Guy confirmed the party would commit to this if elected.

“This is the first point and most acute in Bass Coast at Inverloch,” he said.

Mr Tessari, who recently announced his candidacy for Bass, said the community had been screaming out for significant funding for years. 

“(There has been) study after study that has been going for three years and now there’s further delay before the (Cape to Cape project) announcement is put forward.”

The Cape to Cape Resilience Project, a coastal hazard adaptation project, has had a strong focus on the foreshore and surf beach at Inverloch.

The project has been ongoing since 2020, and seeks to combine science, technical assessments and community input to develop a long-term plan to manage the assets and coastal areas of focus into the future. 

However, the project has faced ongoing criticism for delays.

Speaking with the Sentinel-Times following the funding announc