World-renowned oceanographer Dr Kerry Black has warned councils and the state government must act to protect the region’s coastlines from the growing threat of climate change.
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Glenelg Shire Council hosted the coastal erosion expert on Monday as part of a forum to discuss coastal management trends and issues with representatives from across south-west Victoria and south-east South Australia.
The one-hour session focused on global strategies to protect beaches from erosion including a detailed focus on regenerating Dutton Way and the Port of Portland.
Dr Black identified specific measures to help ensure the region’s famous coastlines continued to remain world class attractions.
“At Portland, it will be necessary in the longer term to re-align the beach orientations, particularly at Dutton Way,” he said.
“This can be achieved with groynes (a barrier built out at sea) or offshore reefs.
“The existing seawalls are not helping to realign the beach orientation and are not preventing erosion; they are just protecting the land.
“The best form of coastal protection is the beach itself and we need to ensure that a collaborative approach is taken, taking into consideration our counterparts in South Australia and coastlines past Warrnambool.”
Dr Black also touched on longer term issues such as climate change and how rising sea temperatures are affecting our local shorelines.
Dr Black stressed the need for urgent and lasting change to not only protect the region’s coastlines from devastation, but to also ensure south-west economies could continue to grow and thrive.
He said it was important to look at the long term impact on the Port of Portland’s operations.
