A SECOND major dump of sand at the Inverloch surf beach appears to be holding firm despite strong winds, steady rain and a heavy ocean swell over the past days.
Bass Coast Council acted quickly last week to replace sand dumped on the beach two months ago after storm activity threatened to undermine geotextile sandbags protecting the Inverloch SLSC.
President of the Inverloch SLSC Glenn Arnold said he was grateful for Bass Coast Council getting it sorted so quickly.
“Council was proactive and contacted the Surf Lifesaving Club after a week of heavy swells, high tides and a storm surge.”
Storm tides have been shown to erode up to 100,000 cubic metres of sand in five days.
Inverloch Tourism Association President Glenn Morris was pleased to see the sand replacement work starting last week.
“Without that work, we fear that the sand scouring at the ends of the wall will become a big risk to the Surf Lifesaving Club during the autumn and spring high tide season,” Mr Morris said.
“Well done to Bass Coast Council and all those involved.”
Bass Coast Shire reaffirmed that coastal erosion is a pressing issue for the community. Council is continuing to investigate medium and long-term solutions in partnership with DEECA including planting of native vegetation to help stabilise the dunes.
One Lohr Avenue resident expressed concern about trying to stockpile sand on the beach during the sand replacement works.
“It didn’t work, the tide came in and washed the sand away.”
Another community member questioned the practice of re-vegetation of the dunes.
“To suggest that planting native vegetation will stabilise the dunes is preposterous, are councillors blind to the amount of mature vegetation that has been destroyed in recent years or are they simply willing to continue throwing good money after bad and squander yet more ratepayer hard-earned monies on ineffective solutions,” they said.
“The simple reality is that a seawall needs to be constructed as a last line of defence to stop the erosion devouring more of the foreshore and then consuming the Inverloch SLSC clubhouse and the houses and other assets around Surf Parade.”
President of the South Gippsland Conservation Society Ed Thexton admitted that Marram Grass which was widely planted in the 60s and 70s as a sand dune stabiliser to protect sand dunes at surf beaches including Inverloch was not a native grass.
Marram Grass has now been replaced with native Hairy Spinifex (Spinifex sericeus) in many places because it is tolerant and in fact, stimulated by progressive sand burials.
According to Agriculture Victoria, the plant’s dense growth habit and extensive rhizomatous root system entrap mobile sand and allow the building of dunes.
“Unfortunately, it has been shown that the steep-faced dunes formed by Marram Grass activity, at the expense of beach and near-shore sand, leads to increased susceptibility to wave erosion and subsequent coastal recession.”
In its most recent quarterly performance review, Bass Coast Council forecasted a full-year deficit due in part to emergency sand renourishment at Inverloch and Silverleaves despite being offset by operational grants received for emergency events.
