Bass Coast Shire Council will begin important coastal protection works in Inverloch next Monday, November 24.
Contractors for the shire will start by extending the sandbag wall to the west of the existing wall, which will also be repaired, and they hope to get much of that work done by Friday, December 19.
In the meantime, the main access point to Inverloch Surf Beach, at the Inverloch Surf Lifesaving clubhouse, will be closed after this Sunday, November 23 and visitors will have to use the next access point further to the west.
The surf club will also use that access point for foot traffic but will have to take their vehicles down to Flat Rocks, at the far western end of the beach and drive them back for the start to patrols.
The club’s officials met with contractors this week and have been agreeable to the arrangements while works are proceeding over the next month.
Work on the extension of the bagwall east, towards Ozone Street, will be started at the end of the January holiday season with the bag wall being extended by 110 metres in total, divided between the west and east extensions.
The Bass Coast Shire Council issued the following statement this week:
The project will extend the existing sandbag wall and complete repair works near the Inverloch Surf Lifesaving Club to help safeguard public land, community assets and vital access points from ongoing wave erosion.
Funded by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), the $700,000 project will be delivered by Landshape Earthmoving & Excavations following a competitive tender process. Works are expected to take around six weeks, subject to weather, tides and contractor availability.
Council has been working closely with the Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club to ensure the club can operate safely and beachgoers have the best possible experience at the Surf Beach.
The project includes constructing approximately 110 metres of new sandbag wall to the east and west of the existing structure, repairing existing bags and access tracks, extracting and transporting sand from Point Norman to fill the sandbags, and undertaking reinstatement works including shrub planting where they have been disturbed by the works.
For safety reasons, there will be temporary restrictions on traffic and pedestrian access around the lifesaving club carpark and beach access track. Traffic controls, spotters and other safety measures will be in place throughout the works.
Residents and visitors can expect periods of noise from machinery such as dump trucks and earthmoving equipment as sand is extracted, delivered and used to fill the new sandbags.
Council acknowledges that these works may cause inconvenience and appreciates the community’s patience as we complete this important coastal protection project.
This project precedes the work by DEECA set to commence in February which will include the movement of sand from Anderson Inlet to the Surf Beach.
Speaking on ABC Gippsland Radio this week, newly re-elected Bass Coast Mayor, Cr Rochelle Halstead, said the community would be delighted to see protection works starting at their much-loved Inverloch Surf Beach.
“I'm really pleased to say that finally, we will see some coastal protection works starting around the Inverloch Surf Life Saving club. The community has rightly been very concerned about this area, and we're really pleased that there will be works starting on Monday,” said Cr Halstead.
“We are looking at extending the sandbag wall 110 meters on both sides of that existing structure, and they will also fix a little bit of damage to the sandbags that are currently there, so that'll also be fixed, and hopefully it will strengthen that whole entire area as we head into what we know in Inverloch is a very busy summer period.”
Cr Halstead was asked, given damage to the sandbags at Inverloch and the rock bags at Silverleaves if the walls were “just a short-term measure”.
“It is to get us through this busy summer period. There's a line of works that will take place over a number of months, and this is just the beginning. There will also be more works starting in February, where DEECA, who has funded the project, will commence those further works in February, and that will include throwing sand up from the Anderson Inlet onto the surf beach,” said Cr Halstead.
“So, this is just the beginning. It's a tough one to fix as a council or as any organisation trying to protect public land assets and, of course, private properties as well, but this is what the experts have suggested is the right course of action, and so finally, we'll see that starting on Monday.”
Cr Hallstead was also asked, given the cost of the works, whether thought had ben given to relocating the surf club building.
“There's no need. I mean, obviously we are always monitoring and listening to the expert advice, and we continue to work closely with Inverloch Surf Lifesaving club. There's a really strong community connection to that lifesaving club, and rightly so. They do an amazing job.
“So, Council will continue to take the expert advice and work with the lifesaving club over what the future may bring. But, it's an ever shifting, no pun intended, situation around coastal erosion.”
Cr Halstead also took the opportunity, on Gippsland radio, to reinforce that the popular surf beach would remain opne.
“We’re working with the club just to ensure that it can operate safely. Lifesavers will still have access to the beach, and of course, visitors will still enjoy all of the area over that time,” said Cr Hallstead.
For more information, please contact Council’s Infrastructure Delivery team on 1300 BCOAST (226 278) or (03) 5671 2211 or visit the Engage Bass Coast website HERE