THE USA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have called it, El Niño has started in a key area of the Pacific Ocean, near the equator, affecting Australia’s weather.
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) is yet to declare an El Niño for us but say the damaging weather pattern, which last occurred in 2018-19, is at least a 70 per cent likelihood.
Locally, many fear it could also mark the return of weather conditions which gouged 70 metres of beach and dunes along the Inverloch Surf Beach in 10 years.
And Beach Erosion Officer at the Inverloch Surf Lifesaving Club, Warren Cook, is concerned that’s exactly what’s going to happen.
“My concern is that the beach erosion is going to ramp up again and go back to causing significant damage, if not over the winter and into spring this year, then by April and Easter next year.
“It’s a major issue.
“I’ve been on to the Minister about it, asking the government to act, and got back a letter which basically said they’re waiting on the recommendations to come out of the Cape-to-Cape project and from DEECA.
“That’s supposed to be coming in the middle to later this year, which isn’t far away, but by the time they decide what to do and get it funded, it could be a couple of years away.
“It’s not good enough.
“There’s been a lot of money, a lot of talk and a lot of reports generated but no action. Nothing. It’s a joke.
“We’re going to keep agitating but the ball is in the government’s court,” he said.
Even under the more benign weather pattern of recent years, there’s still been further beach erosion, west of the seawall towards Flat Rocks, where ancient coastal banksias have continued to collapse onto the beach, and east of the sandbags in front of the surf club.
Here the dunes have continued to retreat, further cutting back the land on the eastern side of the clubhouse.
Only a year or so ago, the surf club wasn’t visible from the beach, hidden by the dunes and coastal vegetation, now it offers fearfully commanding views of the beach and ocean, east and west, along the Inverloch Surf Beach – but for how long?
Both the Bass Coast Shire Council and the South Gippsland Conservation Society share the surf club’s concerns and their frustration at the lack of a comprehensive plan and action.
Twelve months ago, Bass Coast Shire Council Mayor Cr Michael Whelan said: “We’ve lost 70 metres of coastline in 10 years and one more storm and we reckon we’ll lose Wreck Creek.”
He still stands by those remarks.
“We remain very concerned. The Cape-to-Cape Resilience Project provides the basis for formulating action but we want to see government investment to back up that research,” Cr Whelan said this week.