{"id":564434,"date":"2026-03-26T00:07:27","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T00:07:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/564434\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T00:07:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T00:07:27","slug":"sea-the-greatest-risk-and-biggest-asset-for-beachside-residents-on-victorias-bellarine-and-barwon-coasts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/564434\/","title":{"rendered":"Sea the ‘greatest risk and biggest asset’ for beachside residents on Victoria’s Bellarine and Barwon coasts"},"content":{"rendered":"

When an overnight storm blows in and there is a high tide, Vicki Perrett lies awake wondering how close the water will be to her home when she gets up.<\/p>\n

Her property is only 20 centimetres above sea level and Port Philip Bay is just 56 metres from her door.<\/p>\n

Some of her neighbours live even closer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And about once a year when the water conditions combine, the bay advances towards them.<\/p>\n

“We’re unable to insure our house for action from the sea, which is its greatest risk, and it is our biggest asset,” she said.<\/p>\n

\"Coastal<\/p>\n

Coastal inundation near Ms Perrett’s house in Indented Head on the Bellarine Peninsula. (Supplied: Vicki Perrett)<\/p>\n

A neighbour with a lower-lying property a few doors down bought a pump to remove water from the road when required, Ms Perrett said.<\/p>\n

The neighbourhood has been subject to a City of Greater Geelong inundation overlay since 2020, meaning floor levels need to be raised above predicted flood levels before any building or renovating is approved.<\/p>\n

Serving as president of the Bellarine Catchment Network, a local environment protection group, Ms Perrett has been reading worrying forecasts and reports.<\/p>\n

\"Vicki<\/p>\n

In response to climate predictions, Ms Perrett has aimed to live a more carbon-neutral lifestyle. (ABC News: Jonathon Kendall)<\/p>\n

“There are parts of the Bellarine Peninsula that will be severely affected,” she said.<\/p>\n

“We’ve actually had a serious discussion with our children to explain that we might have a lovely home at the moment, that’s worth a lot, but perhaps by the time they get it it won’t be worth very much.”<\/p>\n

Those predictions have caused her to consider moving house, but she is keen to stay and act as an environmental steward.<\/p>\n

“We’re doing everything we can to live a net-zero-carbon lifestyle,” she said.<\/p>\n

“We’ve got solar panels, we’ve got a battery, we’ve got an electric car, we’ve got electric bikes and we’re involved in various citizen science projects.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A warning sign for “unstable cliffs” at Thirteenth Beach. (ABC News: Jonathon Kendall)<\/p>\n

But Ms Perrett says the coastline is already moving.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She believes metres have already been lost from the foreshore across the road.<\/p>\n

And it is not just a problem for humans.<\/p>\n

“My husband and I, we monitor the breeding of the red-capped plover,” she said.<\/p>\n

\"red<\/p>\n

Red-capped plovers are increasingly rare in the area. (Supplied: Reid Waters)<\/p>\n

“They’re beach nesting birds, so they lay their nest just above the high-tide line. For the past three seasons, all of their nests have been washed away. They are virtually becoming locally extinct here.<\/p>\n

“We love monitoring them and learning now their little young are going. For us, it’s very sad to see that happen.”<\/p>\n

Reports show climate flashpoints on the Bellarine<\/p>\n

Public land manager Bellarine Bayside is the committee of management for the 22 kilometres of coast encompassing Portarlington, Indented Head and St Leonards.<\/p>\n

Groups like Bellarine Bayside are required by law to manage the coast to protect and enhance the coastal values for future generations.<\/p>\n

\"Fences<\/p>\n

Sand fences, which provide protection against erosion and flooding, on the Bellarine Peninsula. (Supplied: Vicki Perrett)<\/p>\n

They are appointed under the Crown Land Reserve Act to manage reserves for the benefit of the community. This includes preparing for “coastal hazards”.<\/p>\n

As part of this role, this month the organisation released its Draft Northern Bellarine Coastal Adaptation Plan, developed to address and raise awareness of the potential risks of climate change.<\/p>\n

It identified the Portarlington Holiday Park, the Bellarine Coastal Trail, Indented Head Boatsheds, Steeles Rock boat ramp and breeding grounds for the red-capped plover as being at risk from “storm-tide erosion”.<\/p>\n

It looked at options for nature-based solutions, like encouraging coastal plants, wetlands and seagrass, as well as structural options like sea walls, artificial reefs, groynes or sand fences.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A sand fence at Indented Head. (ABC News: Jonathon Kendall)<\/p>\n

But it recommends against a one-size-fits-all approach.<\/p>\n

“Adaptation pathways have been developed for each precinct to provide a flexible, staged approach to managing coastal risks over time,” the plan reads.<\/p>\n

“Rather than relying on a single long-term solution, pathways identify sequences of actions that can be implemented as conditions change and thresholds are reached.”<\/p>\n

Fighting the tide<\/p>\n

On the Bellarine Peninsula’s southern side, Barwon Coast is the committee of management for the 19km stretch of coast from Breamlea to Collendina, including Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads.<\/p>\n

\"Erosion<\/p>\n

Erosion at Ocean Grove’s main beach. (ABC News: Jonathon Kendall)<\/p>\n

Barwon Coast released a report in February mapping how parts of its coast could be affected by coastal erosion, inundation and sea-level rises associated with climate change.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It identified a rock wall on Ocean Grove’s main beach as an area prone to erosion and a local caravan park as at-risk of inundation.<\/p>\n

The popular caravan park and nearby camping areas are situated on reclaimed land between the ocean and the Barwon River.<\/p>\n

“The key hotspot in the shorter to medium term is the Riverview Holiday Park, that Barwon Coast manages,” Barwon Coast chief executive Gareth Smith said.<\/p>\n

\"Gareth<\/p>\n

Gareth Smith said he was concerned by modelling showing potential erosion on the peninsula. (ABC News: Jonathon Kendall)<\/p>\n

A levee bank has been built on the Barwon River side of the park, but it does not always fully protect the park from inundation.<\/p>\n

When the river comes up and there’s a high tide, water breaches the levee and sometimes does not escape.<\/p>\n

“We have small soak pits with pumps located throughout the park to try to help move the water along,” Tristan Harrison, Barwon Coast’s facilities and infrastructure coordinator said.<\/p>\n

\"Gareth<\/p>\n

Tristan Harrison says infrastructure is already relying on soak pits with pumps. (ABC News: Jonathon Kendall)<\/p>\n

He said in his time at Barwon Coast he had noticed periods of rainfall getting more concentrated.<\/p>\n

“It’s those excessive downpours. Year-on-year they get short bursts that are stronger and stronger from previous years,” Mr Harrison said.<\/p>\n

The report found the coastline was constantly changing with the risk of erosion and permanent or periodic inundation increasing.<\/p>\n

That does not worry Rob Barker from Whittlesea, who has owned an on-site caravan at the park for 18 years and loves coming to Ocean Grove.<\/p>\n

“We’ve had a lot of heavy rain in the years that I’ve been here but it hasn’t come over, so I’m not concerned about it,” he said.<\/p>\n

\"Rob<\/p>\n

Rob Barker has been visiting the holiday park for 18 years. (ABC News: Jonathon Kendall)<\/p>\n

Further west, surfers flock to Thirteenth Beach when the wind is offshore and there’s a big southerly swell.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Those same strong swells and high tides are causing erosion to the soft sedimentary cliffs.<\/p>\n

Mr Smith said the modelling showed potential future erosion of the fore-dune area impacting Thirteenth Beach Road.<\/p>\n

The report does not specifically look at solutions, but will feed into a larger foreshore management plan.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mr Smith said there were several projects Barwon Coast could consider in preparation, but overall they are the same problems facing communities across Australia and the world.<\/p>\n

“Less carbon emissions, certainly, the better, and as an organisation that’s one of our focuses,” he said.<\/p>\n

“We could all do a bit in contributing in that way.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When an overnight storm blows in and there is a high tide, Vicki Perrett lies awake wondering how…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":564435,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[64,63,277948,104793,68,13618,75,277947,104789,128],"class_list":["post-564434","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-bellarine-coast","tag-bellarine-peninsula","tag-climate-change","tag-coastal-erosion","tag-environment","tag-flood-damage","tag-ocean-grove","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/564434","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=564434"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/564434\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/564435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=564434"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=564434"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=564434"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}