'Community Concepts' - DCSCA submission 4

This is the fourth submission by the Drysdale and Clifton Springs Community Association to the City of Greater Geelong's 'Community Concepts' programme.

For background on the programme, and earlier DCSCA submissions see "'Community Concepts' - making the process transparent" on this blog (22 January).

Engineering action to combat erosion of the Clifton Springs Foreshore and historic Mineral Springs.

The City of Greater Geelong is currently undertaking engineering action to combat erosion and land slippage along the Clifton Springs Foreshore. DCSCA considers this action imperative and seeks to ensure that it continue until a safe and stabilized foreshore is achieved that is accessible to the community (including the mobility challenged). Particular attention should be paid to reclaim the beach at the site of the historic mineral springs in order to maintain what is left of this part of the heritage of Clifton Springs.

Objectives of the project 

• To ensure the residents of Clifton Springs have a safe environment.
• To arrest land slippage and to prevent further erosion.
• To reclaim sections of beach that have been lost and, specifically, to preserve what is left of the historic mineral springs.
• To enable the entire length of the Clifton Springs beach and foreshore to be available to the community for passive recreation, this will improve community health and wellbeing, reduce obesity within the community and reduce the cost burden on the health system.
• To increase social activity (and reduce anti-social behavior) by promoting healthy lifestyles and by encouraging active recreation and an engaged community.
• To increase the tourism attraction of the Bellarine and hence grow the local economy and increase local employment opportunities.
• To encourage the community participation in, carbon-neutral, non-polluting sustainable activity.
• To sustain and enhance the natural environment.

DCSCA has been actively involved in re-vegetation at the Dell and has conducted community planting days. DCSCA has volunteer insurance and members would be happy to assist in any way.

Council ward: Coryule

Estimate of total project cost: $200,000.

Attachment - Erosion of the Clifton Springs Foreshore.doc.

The site of the Historic Mineral Springs has been almost totally eroded into the bay. This has

been caused by human actions, such as the 'harvesting' of shell grit for industrial purposes in the 1930s. The spring water which once emerged about 10m above high water mark now bubbles up below the high water mark.

3 groynes have been constructed to the east of the springs site. These have been successful in reducing erosion within the groyne array, but appear to have increased it at the ends of the array, such that erosion is accelerating at the site of the Historic Mineral Springs. Erosion is also occurring at the west end of the groyne array in the region of Edge Water Drive. Areas which once were beach are being lost and impassable at high tide. Access points to the foreshore are few and difficult to access by the mobility challenged.