Sandbags v rock walls: Inverloch debates how to fix erosion

Daniel Renfrey

AUTHORITIES are still advocating for sandbags to be installed at Inverloch to address erosion, despite residents calling for a rock wall instead.

The Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) held a drop-in session in Inverloch on Saturday to give the public a chance to discuss their concerns about erosion in the town.

DELWP regional director for Gippsland, Carole MacMillan, and senior technical engineer, Darren James, talked with residents about any ideas or concerns they had about plans to spend $450,000 on installing sandbags on the coastline.

“It’s really important to share information in different ways and a drop-in is a really good way to get people to ask the questions they want to ask,” Ms MacMillan said.

“One of the key messages is we are planning for the whole area, so there’s a massive engagement process which is happening with the community to help us determine what steps to take.”

One of these steps has been the proposal to install sandbags along the Inverloch coastline, a move which Mr James said would not have a negative impact on the beach.

“We’re taking a sensible, logical approach to managing the issue of coastal erosion, starting with softer interventions like moving sand from surplus areas to deficit areas and then also using sandbags,” he said.

“These options don’t have an impact on the coastline.”

However many upset residents voiced concerns about this approach, including 68-year-old Robin Bowman, who was a real estate agent in the area for 30 years.

He is of the opinion that a rock wall would be more effective.

“It’s a big waste of money to just put sandbags there. The beach is a lot nicer without rocks on it, but the fact of the matter is we do what we need to do to save the coastline,” he said.

“Rocks are the only thing which can save the beach. Sand will save some of it but not all of it.”

Mr James said rock walls would impact the coastline.

“We need to assess the options first,” he said.

The department will hold meetings with residents and resident groups throughout this week and the coming weeks to plan ahead.

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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Nov 12 2019. Filed under Featured, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry