Bellarine Peninsula – Distinctive Areas and Landscapes Phase Two Community Engagement Key Findings Report
FINAL, 15 July 2020 REPORT
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Consultation Unless otherwise stated, all feedback documented by Capire Consulting Group and any person(s) acting on our behalf is written and/or recorded during our program/consultation activities. Capire staff and associates take great care while transcribing participant feedback but unfortunately cannot guarantee the accuracy of all notes. We are however confident that we capture the full range of ideas, concerns and views expressed during our consultation activities. Unless otherwise noted, the views expressed in our work represent those of the participants and not necessarily those of our consultants or our clients.
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING, BELLARINE PENINSULA – DISTINCTIVE AREAS AND LANDSCAPES, FINAL, 15 JULY 2020
Executive summary 3
1 Introduction 7
1.1 Project background 7
1.2 Purpose of this report 9
2 Engagement approach 10
2.1 Objectives 10
2.2 Engagement activities and promotion 10
2.3 Engagement limitations 11
3 Participation 13
4 Engagement findings 15
4.1 Draft Vision 15
4.2 Strategic Directions 20 4.2.1 Landscapes 20 4.2.2 Biodiversity and environmental values 23 4.2.3 Heritage 25 4.2.4 Economy and Infrastructure 26 4.2.5 Environmental risks and resilience 29 4.2.6 Settlements 31
4.3 Extended responses 33 4.3.1 Vision 33 4.3.2 Strategic directions 34 4.3.3 Landscapes 34 4.3.4 Biodiversity and environmental values 35 4.3.5 Heritage 36 4.3.6 Economy and infrastructure 36 4.3.7 Environmental risks and resilience 37 4.3.8 Settlements 38
5 Next steps 40
Appendix A 41
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Executive summary
The Bellarine Peninsula is renowned for its attractive rural hinterland, boutique wineries and artisan producers. With coastal and historic towns, such as Queenscliff, and excellent beaches; it is one of Victoria's most prized tourism and recreation destinations. Given its proximity to Geelong and Melbourne, and reputation as an attractive and relaxed lifestyle destination, areas of the Bellarine Peninsula have been under increasing development pressure.
In October 2019, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), in collaboration with the City of Greater Geelong, the Borough of Queenscliffe and Traditional Owners, the Wadawurrung People, declared the Bellarine Peninsula as a Distinctive Area and Landscape (DAL) under the Planning and Environment Act 1987. Following the declaration, a Statement of Planning Policy (SPP) is being developed to better protect the Bellarine Peninsula area’s unique landscapes, environment and lifestyle.
This report presents a summary of the key findings from Phase Two of engagement for the Bellarine Peninsula DAL. The engagement commenced on 17 April 2020 and concluded on 14 June 2020. Due to the threat of COVID-19 and subsequent government imposed public distancing measures, all engagement was undertaken online. The engagement process sought to reach a broad range of residents and stakeholders from across the Bellarine Peninsula, to communicate that DELWP was working towards the development of a draft Statement of Planning Policy. The engagement sought feedback from the community on a draft 50-year vision for the Bellarine Peninsula, and strategic directions across six policy domains: Landscapes, Biodiversity and Environmental Values, Heritage; Economy and Infrastructure, Environmental Risks and Resilience, and Settlements. The process was designed and delivered by Capire Consulting Group (Capire) and supported by DELWP.
A third phase of consultation will be undertaken from late-2020 to receive feedback on the draft SPP.
During the engagement, approximately 2,046 people were informed on the project website, and approximately 307 people completed an online survey or made a submission. Online engagement feedback was consolidated, and comments were analysed. Feedback on the vision and strategic directions are reported on related to each policy domain.
KEY FINDINGS Draft Vision Overall, more than 73 per cent of participants rated the vision statement positively in relation to each policy domain (Figure 1). Participants also provided suggestions for how the draft vision statement could be improved. A summary of this is outlined in Section 4.1 and in Section 4.3.
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Figure 1: Participants' rating of the Bellarine Peninsula's draft vision statement in relation to policy domains (n= between 130 to 134)
Strategic Directions Participants were asked to consider the draft strategic directions for each of the six policy domains. Overall, strategic directions were well supported by participants (Figure 2). Participants also provided suggestions for how the draft strategic directions could be improved. A summary of this is outlined in Section 4.2 and in Section 4.3.
Figure 2: Participants’ level of agreement with strategic directions across policy domains (n=between 164 to 168))
A summary of the feedback received related to each policy domain is outlined in Table 1.
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Table 1: Summary of the feedback received related to each policy domain
Landscapes
The strategic directions for landscapes were strongly supported, with 91% of participants in strong agreement or agreement. Participants highlighted landscapes as a key attraction to the Bellarine Peninsula and noted the importance to protect and restore the distinctive landscapes.
Biodiversity and environmental values
The strategic directions for biodiversity and environmental values were most supported, with 94% of participants in strong agreement or agreement. These values were of high importance for the Bellarine Peninsula with a strong emphasis on needing to mitigate human impacts on the environment. Concerns were mainly raised around the impacts of settlements and population growth on the environment.
Heritage
90% of participants were in strong agreement or agreement with the strategic directions. Participants most frequently supported for the involvement of the Wadawurrung people in the management, protection and enhancement of Aboriginal heritage (including sites, language and cultural practices). Some participants suggested to include the protection of early settlers’ history, maritime and war heritage in the direction.
Economy and infrastructure
91% of participants were in strong agreement or agreement with the strategic directions. Participants highlighted the value of agricultural land, sustainable tourism and sensitive development, whilst also noting that the economy should not be prioritised over the environment, and that landscapes and environment support the Bellarine Peninsula’s economy as a key attraction. There was support for improving public transport infrastructure and the use of renewable energy and water resources.
Environmental risks and resilience
93% of participants were in strong agreement or agreement with the strategic directions. They commented on the impacts of climate change, flooding, water management, drought and other human impacts.
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Settlements
Although 87% of participants were in strong agreement or agreement with the strategic directions, they raised concerns about settlement and the settlement planning process, with mixed views on growth controls. Settlement was discussed as having effect on all other policy domains and was noted in feedback across all engagement questions.
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1 Introduction
1.1 Project background
In 2019, the Bellarine Peninsula was declared as a Distinctive Area and Landscape (DAL) under Part 3AAB of the Planning and Environment Act 1987.
Once an area is declared, a Statement of Planning Policy must be developed which includes a 50-year vision, policies and strategies and may include designation of long-term settlement boundaries, to better protect the unique features of the Bellarine Peninsula for current and future generations.
A first phase of public engagement was undertaken from May to July 2019, in which the community provided feedback on:
• what is most valued about the Bellarine Peninsula
• what threats there are to these values
• ways we could protect what is valued
• the vision for the future of the Bellarine Peninsula.
The findings from the first phase of engagement are detailed in Bellarine Peninsula DAL Community Engagement Key Findings Report (Capire, 2019).
Following Phase One consultation, the Bellarine Peninsula was declared a Distinctive Area and Landscape in October 2019 (Figure 4). Bellarine Peninsula is one of three coastal areas in Victoria that the Victorian Government has declared as a Distinctive Area and Landscape.
Phase Two public engagement was undertaken between April and June 2020. An overview of the engagement program is outlined in Figure 3 and a map of the Bellarine Peninsula DAL study area is provided in Figure 4.
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DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING, BELLARINE PENINSULA – DISTINCTIVE AREAS AND LANDSCAPES, FINAL, 15 JULY 2020
Declaration of Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Final Project Bellarine Public Public Consultation on Statement of commenced Peninsula as Engagement Engagement draft SPP Planning a DAL Policy
April 2019 May - July October April – June Late Early/mid 2019 2019 2020 2020 2021
Figure 3: Bellarine Peninsula DAL project timeline
Figure 4: Bellarine Peninsula DAL study area
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1.2 Purpose of this report
The purpose of this report is to provide a summary of community and stakeholder engagement findings that will inform development of a draft Statement of Planning Policy for the Bellarine Peninsula.
The feedback sought through Phase Two engagement was to respond to the Bellarine Peninsula Distinctive Areas and Landscapes Discussion Paper (DELWP, April 2020). Engagement will help to refine a draft vision and strategies for inclusion in the Statement of Planning Policy. The analysis of engagement findings has been structured around:
• refinement of a 50-year vision for the Bellarine Peninsula
• feedback on strategic directions for each of six policy domains (Landscapes; Biodiversity and environmental values; Heritage; Economy and infrastructure; Environmental risks and resilience; and Settlements)
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2 Engagement approach
2.1 Objectives
The engagement was undertaken to support the development of the Bellarine Peninsula DAL Statement of Planning Policy and aimed to achieve the following objectives:
• To inform the community and stakeholders about the outcome of Phase One engagement and preparation of a draft vision, strategy policy domains and strategic directions
• To inform the community about what is a Statement of Planning Policy (SPP); what it includes and what is a Framework Plan
• To inform the community about future stages of the project, opportunities to be involved and what will be considered through future engagement
• To seek feedback from the community and responsible public entities on the draft vision and strategic directions
• To seek input from the community on possible strategies to achieve the vision for the Bellarine Peninsula
• To build the community’s capacity to understand the policy implications of possible strategies
2.2 Engagement activities and promotion
Engagement was undertaken between 17 April and 14 June 2020. Due to the threat of COVID- 19 and subsequent government imposed public distancing measures, all engagement was undertaken online. Online engagement was hosted on the Victorian Government engagement platform engage.vic.gov.au with a specific page and survey dedicated to the Bellarine Peninsula DAL. The engagement period was extended for two weeks in response to COVID-19. Community and stakeholders were notified of the extension via website, social media and email.
Participants were welcomed to contact the project team by phone or email for engagement support or to request project information. Email submissions were also accepted. Hard copies of engagement materials were available upon request to help participants who had no internet access. The promotional activities undertaken are outlined in Table 2.
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Table 2: Promotional activities undertaken
Promotion type Date
Public announcement of Phase 2 17 April 2020 engagement on Engage Vic site
Email notification to project subscribers and 17 April 2020 responsible public entities (RPEs)
Email notification to advise of engagement 29 May 2020 period extension project subscribers and responsible public entities (RPEs)
Geelong Advertiser 22 April 2020
Torquay Surf Coast Times/Bellarine Times 23 April 2020
Geelong Indy 24 April 2020 Ocean Grove Voice 6 May 2020
Twitter and Facebook posts to notify project 23 April 2020 launch
Twitter and Facebook posts to notify the 1 June 2020 extension of engagement period
2.3 Engagement limitations
Outlined below are the limitations of the engagement process.
• There were high levels of participation in the engagement process from community members and stakeholders representing a range of different interests and locations. This provides a high level of confidence in the representativeness of issues covered; however, this cannot be considered a statistically valid sample.
• Some information included in this report may be factually incorrect or unfeasible. The information has not been validated as it is purely a summary of participants' opinions, ideas and feedback.
• Some participants raised concerns that were outside the scope of the discussions. Where these points have been noted, they may be out of scope for consideration.
• The report presents the key points of discussion and includes a broad range of feedback expressed by participants. It provides an overview of participant sentiment but does not report on the sentiment of individual participants.
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• Participants may have participated in engagement activities on more than one occasion. Exact duplicate responses1 have been removed from the data set.
• Reporting refers to the number of responses or the number of comments received rather than the number of participants.
• In some instances, participants did not answer all questions, therefore some questions received fewer responses than others.
• Participation was limited to those who had the capacity to engage online.
1 12 online participants have had responses cleared as duplicates. Any unique responses to questions within these participants online submissions have been included in the data set.
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3 Participation
There was a high level of engagement through the online survey and through visiting a dedicated Engage Vic web page. An overview of the overall levels of participation is outlined in Figure 5.
5,373 307 44 WEBPAGE VISITS BY ONLINE SURVEYS EXTENDED 2,046 VISITORS RESPONSES
Figure 5: Overview of engagement participation
Two online surveys were created on the Engage Vic web page to collect feedback on the draft vision (survey 1) and strategic directions outlining potential policy approaches for each of the key policy domains to be included in the draft Statement of Planning Policy (survey 2). In total, 138 participants completed survey 1 and 169 completed survey 2. 44 extended responses were submitted. In both surveys, participants were asked to indicate the town they most associated with (see Figure 6).
43 Barwon Heads 55 40 Ocean Grove 48 11 Point Lonsdale 15 9 St Leonards 10 10 Portarlington 8
Towns 3 Queenscliff 6 4 Indented Head 5 3 Wallington 7 2 Clifton Springs 3 4 Drysdale 3 9 Others 9
Survey 1 Survey 2 Number of participants
Figure 6: Towns participants most associated with from survey 1 and 2 (n=138 or 169)
The majority of participants (n=43 or 55) most associated with Barwon Heads, followed by Ocean Grove (n=40 or 49), Point Lonsdale (n=11 or 15).
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Primary residence 111 (80%) 133 (79%)
Secondary residence 12 (9%) 14 (8%)
Regular visitor 5 (4%) 7 (4%)
Local business owner 2 (1%) 3 (2%)
Connection to to Connection Peninsula Bellarine Other 8 (6%) 12 (7%)
Survey 1 Survey 2
Figure 7: Participants' connections to Bellarine Peninsula from survey 1 and 2 (n=138 or 169)
Participants were also asked to indicate their connection to the Bellarine Peninsula (see Figure 7). Around 80 per cent (n=111 or 133) of the survey participants were primary residents and 8 per cent of participants were secondary residents (n=12 or 14). Others were local business owners, regular visitors or identified an alternative connection.
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4 Engagement findings
Participants provided feedback in relation to the draft vision and draft strategic directions. Feedback was collected via the online surveys and through written submissions sent via email.
This section provides a summary of the findings related to:
4.1 a 50-year vision for the Bellarine Peninsula
4.2 feedback on strategic directions for each of six policy domains (Landscapes; Biodiversity and environmental values; Heritage; Economy and infrastructure; Environmental risks and Resilience; and Settlements)
The figures outlined in this section represent comments that mentioned a particular theme; the number of comments does not represent the number of participants. Some comments may have been reflected under more than one theme.
Through the analysis, some comments were counted more than once as they sometimes covered more than one theme. For example, one unique response may have discussed two or more distinct ideas or suggestions. This explains why the number of comments may total more than the total number of unique responses.
Participants’ comments sometimes referred to specific locations however many participants made comments that related to the whole of the Bellarine Peninsula.
4.1 Draft Vision
Landscapes 36 (27%) 86 (65%) 8 2 1
Biodiversity and environmental values 73 (55%) 44 (33%) 10 5 0
Heritage 36 (28%) 74 (57%) 16 3 1
Economy and infrastructure 46 (35%) 60 (45%) 18 8 1 Policy domains Policy
Environmental risks and resilience 60 (45%) 49 (37%) 17 6 2
Settlements 55 (41%) 42 (32%) 16 15 5
Excellent Good Neutral Poor Very poor
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Figure 8: Participants' rating of the Bellarine Peninsula's draft vision statement in relation to policy domains (n= between 130 to 134)
Participants were asked to rate the draft vision statement on how well it reflected their future aspirations for the Bellarine Peninsula in relation to each of the six policy domains. Participants were asked to answer the questions: ‘how well does the draft vision reflect the future aspirations for: - the Bellarine Peninsula’s distinctive landscapes?’
- the Bellarine Peninsula’s biodiversity and natural environment?’
- respecting and preserving Aboriginal and post-contact culture and heritage of the Bellarine Peninsula?’
- the economy and infrastructure of the Bellarine Peninsula?’
- addressing environmental risks and resilience challenges on the Bellarine Peninsula?’
- the Bellarine Peninsula’s settlements and townships?’
The total number of responses ranged from 130 to 134, as some participants did not answer all questions. Overall participants rated the vision statement very highly. Overall, more than 73 per cent of participants either rated the vision statement ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ in relation to each policy domain. Less than 15 per cent of participants rated the vision statement ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.
Across all six policy domains, participants indicated that the vision statement mostly reflected their aspirations. In relation to the landscapes policy domain, 92 per cent of participants rated ‘excellent’ (27%) or ‘good’ (65%). Settlements and townships received the lowest rates of ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ amongst the six policy domains, but still accounted for 73 per cent of overall positive sentiment expressing ‘excellent’ (41%) or ‘good (32%).
Participants were also asked why they made their chosen rating, and to provide any further suggestions as to how the future aspirations for the Bellarine Peninsula could be reflected in the vision statement. Responses were requested across the six policy domains.
When asked how the draft vision statement could be improved, participants most frequently commented on:
• prioritisation of natural landscapes and biodiversity and acknowledgement of their inextricable link to what makes the Bellarine Peninsula distinctive
• a need to reflect the importance of town boundaries to preserve the distinctive landscapes of the Bellarine Peninsula
• the importance of green breaks, not just being present as gaps between towns but to ensure that the Bellarine Peninsula retains a truly rural and agricultural identity
• the desire to improve community and visitor education around Aboriginal cultural heritage to ensure it becomes an acknowledged and widely understood part of the Bellarine Peninsula’s history and future identity.
Below is a summary of participant’s suggestions on how the draft vision statement could be improved. The responses are organised by themes based on the policy domains outlined in the Bellarine Peninsula DAL Discussion Paper.
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LANDSCAPES The vision should:
• include the protection of the Barwon Head bluffs, cliffs and ocean beach landscapes
• recognise environmental importance of Ramsar wetlands
• properly acknowledge green breaks and agricultural landscapes as an important part of the Bellarine Peninsula landscape, but not just serving to separate settlements
• more greatly acknowledge that distinctive plants and animals are linked to what makes the landscape itself distinctive
• better reflect the unique ‘personality’ of the Bellarine Peninsula compared to other areas through more specific mention of important local natural sites
• incorporate a statement that reflects the need for a social and community connection to the environment.
BIODIVERSITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES The vision should include:
• clarification that re-establishing native vegetation and nature reserves would not only preserve, but also expand and enhance biodiversity
• greater emphasis on preserving wildlife corridors
• recognition and a goal to protect endangered species
• aspirations around involving both developers and landowners in protecting and enhancing valued landscapes and vegetation
• better management of waterways and runoff to ensure healthy waterways
• management of weeds and pests to preserve biodiversity
• education about native plants to build appreciation of biodiversity
• activation of the local community to be involved in enhancing native vegetation
• mention of important plant and animal species that are unique to the Bellarine Peninsula.
HERITAGE The vision should include:
• the need for development to be sensitive to urban character, in order to preserve the distinctiveness of the Bellarine Peninsula
• goals around building greater awareness of Aboriginal cultural heritage within the local and visitor community, including celebrations of this heritage
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• suggestion to use ‘non-indigenous settlement’ rather than ‘early settler heritage’, to acknowledge more recent history • greater emphasis on the aspiration of protecting Aboriginal heritage, not just that it be valued and respected
• a longer section focused on Aboriginal cultural heritage which provides more detail on specific historical sites and cultural practices of Traditional Owners specifically related to the Bellarine Peninsula
• a statement which better incorporates the need for incorporating Aboriginal leadership, cultural practices and land management within the story of the area, not just prescribing Aboriginal cultural heritage as something to look back on.
ECONOMY AND INFRASTRUCTURE The vision should include:
• enhancement of employability and accommodation for the tourism sector
• projection of infrastructure and additional developments the region will need to support growth and change over a 50-year period
• greater emphasis on the importance of a healthy environment and the environmental characteristics that support a successful visitor economy
• clearer language around the aspiration of the region having a diverse economy centred around sustainable practices, not an economy predominantly built around tourism and agriculture.
ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS AND RESILIENCE The vision should include:
• Reference for protecting native plants and animals, particularly endangered species for example orange-bellied parrot and spoon-billed ibis
• aspirations around transitioning to cleaner energy sources and supporting the local economy through renewable energy generators
• the need to build resilience within the water supply, particularly in respect to protecting agricultural production in the area
• more specific mention of a region which encourages sustainable living and developments, such as sustainable residential developments
• management of stormwater and drainage to protect natural waterways
• stronger emphasis on the need to remove and manage pests and weed species
• reference to other environmental risks other than climate change, such as population growth and its associated challenges like biodiversity loss; and potential impacts to water courses due to urban development.
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SETTLEMENTS The vision should include:
• use of the term ‘town boundaries’ to better reflect the need to contain urban development
• suggestion to strengthen the wording around ‘preserving green breaks’, to address concerns about urban encroachment and sprawl with some participants highlighting that the Bellarine Peninsula should aspire to retaining its predominately rural setting
• a more defined aspiration for ‘coastal character’ for townships across the region
• reflection of the sensitivity of language concerning ‘district towns’ providing ‘higher-order services’; some participants are in favour of this coupled with strong town boundaries to limit sprawling development whilst some participants expressed uneasiness with this language perceiving it as permission for sustained increased development in these townships
• more wholistic aspirations for townships, including streetscapes and green spaces and their sense of community
• mention of smaller towns, for example Portarlington, St Leonards, Queenscliff, to further define their status on the Bellarine Peninsula as done with example ‘district towns’.
‘The vision statement should also recognise that it is the predominantly rural setting of the whole Peninsula that is perhaps its most distinctive feature...the breaks between towns provide the most important element of the character of the Bellarine.’
‘I love the visual of the sentence “Native terrestrial and maritime wildlife flourishes.” It would be amazing to have the wildlife and natural water ways look healthy and to be sustainable in 50 years.’
‘Aboriginal leadership, cultural expertise and land management should be more visible to the public not hidden behind closed doors.’
‘Awareness and celebration of this cultural knowledge throughout the Bellarine should be part of the vision.’
‘Instead of ‘well-defined settlement boundaries’ you could write "permanent town boundaries”.’
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4.2 Strategic Directions
Participants were asked to consider the potential strategic directions for each of the six policy domains. They were asked, ‘How do you feel about these strategies?’ and to indicate their responses using a five-point Likert scale. The result shows strong agreement with the strategic directions across all policy domains. Participants were also asked ‘Please tell us why you made that choice? Is there anything missing?’. Figure 9 provides an overview of participants' levels of agreement with the strategic directions related to the six policy domains. The total number of responses ranged from 164 to 168, as some participants did not answer all questions.
Landscapes 118 (70%) 36 (21%) 7 6 1
Biodiversity and environmental values 118 (71%) 39 (23%) 5 2 2
Heritage 100 (60%) 49 (30%) 15 1 1
Economy and infrastructure 93 (56%) 58 (35%) 13 3 0 Policy domains Policy Environmental risks and resilience 101 (62%) 51 (31%) 9 3 0
Settlements 111 (67%) 33 (20%) 8 6 8
Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
Figure 9: Participants' level of agreement with strategic directions across policy domains (n= between 164 to 168) 4.2.1 Landscapes
Participants predominantly responded in strong agreement (70%) or agreement (21%) with the strategic directions for the Landscapes policy domain (see Figure 9).
A total of 138 additional comments were received, of which 22 participants expressed their satisfaction on the strategic directions for Landscapes and made no further comments. A summary of participants’ feedback is outlined in Table 3.
Table 3: Summary of participants' feedback, Landscapes
Strategic direction Participant feedback
Guide development Participants frequently commented on development controls (n=79). within settlements Comments included: to ensure it is sympathetic to their
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surrounding - suggestion to protect and make permanent current township landscapes (such boundaries as through controls - suggestion to restrict further development on building heights, setbacks and other - development should not be sympathetic to already existing built form) multiple storey buildings - suggestion that new developments should protect and replant indigenous plants
- suggestion to control building heights, sizes and setbacks to ensure harmony with the environment and township character - some suggestion to protect and foster productive agricultural land between townships
- DAL is a repetition of existing policies in the planning system
Comments on the wording of the direction included:
- use stronger wording to ‘avoid’ development in areas of high landscape value
Identify and protect Few participants further commented on viewing areas (n=6). key viewing Comments included: corridors and - concern that building height controls do not seem to apply to vantage points all development
- concern that three-storey buildings in Barwon Heads are blocking views
- suggestion to protect public roads with attractive views of coastal and rural views
- suggestion to restrict development along the coast.
Avoid development A total of 12 participants further commented on green breaks. along the coast and Comments included: protect green - support for the protection of green breaks breaks between townships - there needs to be assurance from Council that the green breaks will not be sold or subdivided
- some concerns around ‘avoiding development’, noting that green breaks are constantly changing rural landscapes and will always have development for farming and infrastructure; suggestion to provide clear guidelines and permit conditions to minimise impact
- concern that land tax for the rural breaks between townships is too high and forces owners to sell out
- suggestion to identify the historic non-urban break between the individual settlements of Clifton Springs and Drysdale
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- concern that these aspirational directions are not aligned with current Councils’ planning strategies, which promote growth of town boundaries and housing density
- the statement should be more precise in stating coastal development should be avoided, where it would be intrusive to the landscape or would be at risk of climate change related impacts.
Comments on the wording of the direction included:
- rephrase as ‘avoid intrusive or linear development along the coast’.
Retain and Participants frequently commented on indigenous vegetation (n=47). increase Comments included: indigenous - support for increasing indigenous vegetation cover vegetation cover that contributes to - support for stronger regulation and planning to restore and landscape protect indigenous vegetation, especially on private land character - suggestion to provide funding and long-term incentives for private landholders to restore vegetation
- suggestion to stop further clearing of indigenous vegetation
- suggestion to protect and enhance existing reserves
- suggestion to ensure that new developments have to protect and replant indigenous vegetation
- concern that establishing more indigenous vegetation on farms will obscure views from roadsides
- suggestion to restore degenerated natural and farming landscapes
- suggestion to include wetlands, creeks and dams as part of the landscape protections.
Comments on the wording of the direction included:
- suggestion to set clear goals, for example ‘increase indigenous vegetation area to 25% of Bellarine by 2030’
- indigenous vegetation also enhances our environment, not only landscape character
- ‘vegetation cover’ suggests understorey ground cover but does not include tall and large trees.
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‘The Bellarine Landscapes and natural areas are the elements that make the Bellarine Peninsula unique, they require protection from urban encroachment and development.’
‘Ensuring sympathetic development is essential to preserving the general landscapes of the Bellarine.’
‘There needs to be strong regulation to protect remnant areas plus a plan and secure funding for restoration with long term incentives for private landholders.’
4.2.2 Biodiversity and environmental values
Participants predominantly responded in strong agreement (71%) or agreement (23%) with the strategic directions for the Biodiversity and environmental values policy domain (see Figure 9).
A total of 119 additional comments were received, of which 43 participants expressed their satisfaction on all strategic directions for biodiversity and environmental values and made no further comments. A summary of participants’ feedback is outlined in Table 4.
Table 4: Summary of participants' feedback, Biodiversity and environmental values
Strategic direction Participant feedback
Retain and increase A total of 19 participants further commented on retaining and indigenous increasing indigenous vegetation. Comments included: vegetation including - support for identifying and funding biolinks establishing strategic biolinks to connect - suggestion that corridors are useful connections but are not high-value ecological viable breeding zones for many birds areas - establishment of buffers around current remnant areas, wetlands and town boundaries
- suggestion to enforce the provision of green areas and wildlife corridors within developments
- suggestion to plant clusters of indigenous trees to enhance the natural environment in new housing developments
- suggestion to include the protection of fire risks
- there needs to be appropriate funding and to not simply rely on volunteer groups to achieve the direction.
Reduce the impact of Few participants commented on weeds and pests (n=9). Comments weeds and pest included: animals on - weeds in bush parks, foxes in sand dunes and rabbits have biodiversity been problematic in the Bellarine Peninsula
- suggestion to add ‘remove exotic species wherever possible’
- smaller-lot-size developments encouraged vermin species that displace native animals and should be discouraged
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- suggestion to control dog and cats’ activities in the Bellarine Peninsula
Reduce urban and A total of 12 participants further commented on water run-off. agricultural Comments included: stormwater run-off - support for reducing stormwater run-off
- suggestion to stop development close to waterways
- suggestion to monitor salinity levels from runoff to identify sources of pollution
- suggestion to include measuring and reporting of water quality
- there is currently poor planning to control water run-off
- suggestion to recycle and provide treatment to recycled stormwater run-off.
Restrict urban A total of 15 participants further commented on restricting urban development close to development close to high-value ecological areas. Comments high-value ecological included: areas - general support for restricting urban development
- suggestion to acquire underused private land as public land to increase protected areas
Comments on the wording of the direction included:
- one suggestion to use ‘prevent’ instead of ‘restrict’
- define ‘close to’, and not simply mean ‘adjacent to’
Better educate the A total of 17 participants further commented on education. local community and Comments included: visitors about the - support for funding education centres peninsula’s environmental and - the local community knows little about the wetlands biodiversity values - end duck shooting at Lake Connewarre
- suggestion that education include promoting sustainable ways of farming
- suggestion for better interpretive signage.
Use the ecological Few participants commented on Traditional Owner’s practice and knowledge and knowledge (n=8). Comments included: practices of - support for using the ecological knowledge and practices of Traditional Owners in Traditional Owners land management
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- suggestion to support and encourage volunteer groups to help protect biodiversity values.
‘The natural environment provides a myriad of services to the economy and we are only just beginning to understand and value them.’
‘I am so afraid that we are going to lose the wonder of biodiversity in the Ocean Grove that I hold most dear.’
‘The local population knows a lot about the ocean, but very little about the wetlands.’
4.2.3 Heritage
Participants predominantly responded in strong agreement (60%) or agreement (30%) with the strategic directions for the Heritage policy domain (see Figure 9).
A total of 105 additional comments were received, of which 36 participants expressed their satisfaction on all strategic directions for heritage and made no further comments. A summary of participants’ feedback is outlined in Table 5.
Table 5: Summary of participants' feedback, Heritage
Strategic direction Participant feedback
Actively involve the Participants frequently commented on involving Traditional Owners in Wadawurrung people management (n=43). Comments included: in the management, - strong support for involving Traditional Owners in protection and management enhancement of Aboriginal cultural - suggestion to extend the Ocean Grove Nature Reserves heritage information centre to house local environment groups and indigenous groups
- suggestion to consider involving other First Nations tribes in the Bellarine Peninsula.
Build awareness and A total of 21 participants further commented on awareness building. knowledge of Comments included: Wadawurrung - strong support for awareness building as many expressed a heritage, language lack of understanding of First Nations knowledge and cultural practices - suggestion to encourage Bellarine Peninsula’s schools to invite members of the Wadawurrung community into classrooms to give talks
- suggestion to rename sites, areas and roads using traditional names
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- suggestion to reference New Zealand’s approach incorporating indigenous language more than merely issuing place names.
Identify, monitor and Few participants further commented on sites protection (n=8). protect sites and Comments included: locations of heritage - a few mentions to add post-contact heritage, immigrant significance culture and heritage, early grazing and farming history to this direction
- suggestion to highlight what is unique about the heritage in this region
- suggestion to strengthen this statement by saying ‘to return areas to formal Aboriginal ownership wherever readily possible’
- suggestion to consider financial compensation in the form of levies on current landholders
- suggestion that strong enforcement is needed to ensure sites are protected
- many traditional heritage sites were overlooked, for example some caves and a large fig tree in Portarlington; St Leonards-the William Buckley/Labyrinth site.
Comments on the wording of the direction included:
- a question as to whether this direction points to ‘post- settlement’ and suggestion to add wording to clarify its meaning.
‘It is imperative that the Wadawurrung People are consulted. Aboriginal Cultural Heritage awareness is not well shared in the community.’
‘As a local resident, I miss the metaphysical connection to place that arises from an understanding of indigenous culture.’
‘Knowing what we know today - why would we do anything to ignore or destroy the cultural heritage and history of the region?’
4.2.4 Economy and Infrastructure
Participants predominantly responded in strong agreement (56%) or agreement (35%) with the strategic directions for the Economy and Infrastructure policy domain (see Figure 9).
A total of 120 additional comments were received, of which 41 participants expressed their satisfaction on all strategic directions for Economy and infrastructure and made no further comments.
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A summary of participants’ feedback is outlined in Table 6.
Table 6: Summary of participants' feedback, Economy and Infrastructure
Strategic direction Participant feedback
Protect high-value, Participants frequently commented on agriculture (n=26). Comments productive included: agricultural land and - support for the protection of agricultural land agricultural operators - support for the protection of vineyards
- mixed views on whether only ‘high-value’ land is protected, or if all agricultural land should be protected for their environmental values; participants called for clear definition of ‘value’ and respectful land value assessment
- suggestion to promote regenerative, sustainable and zero- carbon farming
- a question whether this direction includes protecting farmers from escalating rates and service costs resulting from protection pressures
- mention that ‘protection’ of agricultural land should allow for sufficient infrastructure to be put in place to support water needs and transport needs
- many agricultural lands had been undermined by new development and a call for permanent town boundaries to be set.
Comments on the wording of the direction included:
- concern that the statement excludes land which has the potential to be productive but is currently underutilised
- suggestion to add ‘from encroaching outward to urban development of townships’ to highlight impact of urban sprawl
- suggestion to add ‘maintain viability for food production alongside vineyards/hospitality activities’.
Build a sustainable, A total of 14 participants commented on tourism. Comments year-round visitor included: economy that - mixed views on this direction as some participants agreed respects the tourism supported the local economy; but some were Bellarine Peninsula’s concerned about large-scale accommodation developments distinctive attributes and overcrowding towns and values
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- the vision should suggest new forms of economy rather than heavily rely on tourism
- questioning of the focus on tourism noting that the Bellarine Peninsula should be open for all to enjoy but not only prioritised for campers or tourists.
Comments on the wording of the direction included:
- the word 'sustainable' is weak and open to abuse
- suggestion to add respects to ‘settlement character’.
Help ensure A total of 20 participants commented on transport. Comments transport included: infrastructure - support for the improvement of public transport infrastructure improvements are and network, including buses, trams and ferries sensitive to the area’s distinctive - call for better traffic management and transport planning to attributes and values avoid traffic bottlenecks in coastal towns and promote - suggestion to create a new river crossing to protect Barwon sustainable modes of Heads transport - support for the Geelong Ring Road to divert traffic away from landscapes but raised concerns about the impacts of on farming activities
- support for the improvement of pedestrian and cycling networks
- support for a railway link to Geelong.
Comments on the wording of the direction included:
- the phrase ‘help ensure’ did not give an idea of how this will be achieved
- the word ‘sensitive’ is weak and open to abuse.
Protect state- A total of 20 participants commented on resources. Comments significant resources included: and assets including - support for the use of renewable energy and recycled water mineral sand resources resources, recycled water resources and - support for zero-carbon emission economy associated pipeline - concerns on the implementation of renewable energy infrastructure, and stations, which require sufficient buffer zones and careful opportunities for planning to avoid ecological damage renewable energy generation - the development of renewable energy should not be allowed to compromise the Bellarine Peninsula’s landscapes
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- suggestion to explore the possibility of community-owned wind turbines
- concern that natural gas extraction and nuclear should be away from coastal land
- concern about whether only ‘state-significant’ resources are protected
- confusion about what ‘mineral sand extraction’ means.
Comments on the wording of the direction included:
- suggestion to rephrase as ‘support for wind and solar array/battery plants’
- suggestion to add ‘and distribution to local community’
- some suggest the mention of new, digital economy.
‘It is imperative that the natural capital, including natural environments that support tourism, are protected and enhanced to have a thriving local economy.’
‘Bellarine is currently too car-dependent, lacking alternatives. We urgently need improved pedestrian and cycling networks and frequent bus services.’
‘Time for Governments to allow proper recycling so that recycled water can be reused as drinking water and not continue to destroy our rivers and streams.’
4.2.5 Environmental risks and resilience
Participants predominantly responded in strong agreement (62%) or agreement (31%) with the strategic directions for the Environmental risks and resilience policy domain (see Figure 9).
A total of 103 additional comments were received, of which 19 participants expressed their satisfaction on all strategic directions for Environmental risks and resilience and made no further comments. A summary of participants’ feedback is outlined in Table 7. Table 7: Summary of participants' feedback, Environmental risks and resilience
Strategic direction Participant feedback
Avoid the Few participants commented further on development on sensitive development of land uses (n=12). Comments included: sensitive land uses in - agreement on flooding risk and general support for the areas at high risk of direction; some doubts on whether fire is a high risk bushfire or coastal or riverine flooding - suggestion to look at harvesting rainwater for farming use - call for a clear definition of ‘sensitive land use’
- call for an urgent stop to build on floodplains, swamps or marshlands
- suggestion to protect town boundaries to stop development
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- suggestion to provide more information about proper fire planning and management to private landowners
- suggestion that Ramsar Wetlands should be recognised as a fire break.
Comments on the wording of the direction included:
- suggestion to add to the statement ‘in areas that will impact on the long-term sustainability of environmental assets.’
Ensure land use and Few participants commented on water management practices (n=7). development Comments included: planning aligns with - measure and manage drainage from all existing and new and integrates settlements reporting on water quality sustainable, resilient water management - suggestion to treat stormwater runoffs as an asset rather practices than aiming to reduce them. Comments on the wording of the direction included:
- Add ‘including use of recycled water for farming.’
Adapt to drought and Few participants commented on drought and groundwater (n=7). the reduced Comments included: availability of surface - call for better management of stormwater basins to minimise water and overflow onto beaches groundwater - urge for reviews and regulations on groundwater abstraction
- raise awareness and provide incentives for water-wise behaviour
- consider impact of water runoff into Ramsar sites
- consider cumulative effect of runoff from multiple developments into one catchment area like Lonsdale lakes
- mention of the overuse of ground water and the use of private dams that resulted in drought.
Comments on the wording of the direction included:
- suggestion to change ‘adapt’ to ‘stop’ drought.
Reduce the use of Participants frequently commented on greenhouse gas emissions fossil fuels and (n=34). Comments included: greenhouse gas - general support for the need to respond to climate change emissions (such as by improving public - support for promoting the use of active and public transport and active transport - comment that the strategy did not cover the impacts of infrastructure) climate change on natural environment and mitigation strategy
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- suggestion to roll out green natural energy production
- some call for a stronger statement to address climate change by stopping the use of fossil fuels
- consider encouraging the use of efficient wood-burning stoves to obtain energy from biomass
- promote the use of electric vehicles
- provide funding to education programs on energy usage, waste disposal and reuse/recycling behaviour
Mitigate coastal Few participants commented on coastal erosion risks (n=6). erosion risks Comments included:
- comment that the erosion risks will be too late to be mitigated
- suggestion to ‘adapt’ to erosion by requiring houses to relocated as sea levels rise or invest in infrastructure that can adapt
- suggestion to move camping reserves to higher ground
- concern that the statement is not strong enough to achieve the vision.
‘Climate change is the greatest threat facing the Bellarine, as with all areas.’
‘We want to see a better future in relation to climate for our grandchildren.’
‘Hopefully we are now wise enough to pause and assess the future consequences of our actions.’
4.2.6 Settlements
Participants predominantly responded in strong agreement (67%) or agreement (20%) with the strategic directions for the Settlements policy domain (see Figure 9).
A total of 127 additional comments were received, of which 12 participants expressed their satisfaction on all strategic directions for Settlements and made no further comments. A summary of participants’ feedback is outlined in Table 8. Table 8: Summary of participants' feedback, Settlements
Strategic direction Participant feedback
Provide clear Participants frequently commented on settlement boundaries (n=78). direction about the Comments included: locations of future - support for the protection of settlement boundaries and stop urban growth by further development outside of existing boundaries defining a settlement hierarchy and long- - concern that developers had been able to work through term settlement Council’s procedures to change regulations over the past years; hence a call for stronger enforcement
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DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING, BELLARINE PENINSULA – DISTINCTIVE AREAS AND LANDSCAPES, FINAL, 15 JULY 2020 boundaries if - suggestion that the establishment of these boundaries required should be based on rigorous assessment of each township
- concern that the application of permanent township boundaries will remove developable land from consideration in future township strategies without proper planning assessment; suggestion to only nominate ‘protected’ settlement boundaries where it is underpinned by strategic planning work with a planning horizon of at least ten years.
Comments on the wording of the direction included:
- suggestion to add ‘permanent’ boundaries.
Manage growth in Few participants commented on growth in coastal township (n=5). coastal townships to Comments included: protect their - the statement is vague, suggested to clarify as ‘avoid high distinctive attributes density housing for coastal townships’. and values
Ensure the design of A total of 13 participants commented on township character. new urban Comments included: development fits in - must ensure that any further developments are covered by with the existing strict environmental and area appropriate rules township character through effective built - concerns raised on subdivision development, above a two- form controls (such storey development in Ocean Grove as for building - mention of rural land between the current edge of heights, setbacks development and the lagoon in Barwon Head and landscaping) - Lake Connewarre – suggestion to have development looking in towards the lake
- Leopold – sits between Corio Bay and Lake Connewarre; suggestion to better link Leopold to those natural assets.
Encourage a range A total of 14 participants commented on housing types. Comments of housing types to included: support a diversity of - concern that this statement would encourage development housing needs and that does not fit with township character; a few suggested to changing merge with the above direction to emphasise ‘township demographics character’
- encourage housing that has strong environmental sustainability ratings
Provide direction Few participants commented on rural living (n=8). Comments about the extent of included: rural living and
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appropriate land - confusion about what this statement meant; some interpreted uses as ’rezoning agricultural land for residential purposes
- concern that extending rural living is against the intention of DAL
- suggest that the City of Greater Geelong maintain its classification as a Rural Living Zone.
‘I don’t want a new shopping centre, fast food chains or any other things like that.’
‘Long term permanent boundaries must be applied to all existing settlement boundaries as indicated in Council's adopted Settlement Strategy.’
‘I don't want to see anymore settlement growth.’
4.3 Extended responses
Some community groups and members, businesses, landholders, businesses and farmers submitted extended responses as part of the engagement process. These responses raised a range of concerns which are summarised in this section. A total of 44 submissions2 were received from 12 community groups, 14 property owners or developers, six environmental groups, three farmers (or farmers association), three Responsible Public Entities and seven individuals. Overall, these submissions reflect many of the themes discussed throughout Phase Two engagement. Key themes are summarised below. 4.3.1 Vision
There was overall support for the vision. Some noted that the vision could better align with the strategic directions under each policy domain, whilst others felt that by defining the vision into policy groupings downplayed the interconnectedness across all domains.
There was overall support for the environmental views outlined in the vision, however some debated the inclusion of certain areas noted as being valued in the leading paragraph, as its risks being not inclusive of all distinctive features of the Bellarine Peninsula. Some participants also noted that the word ‘resilience’ needs to be added to the environmental vision. Community groups offered detail on notable flora and fauna species, and areas of high environmental values. These are compiled into a list which is located in Appendix A.
Community groups frequently expressed the need to strengthen the wording to clarify and provide certainty on settlement boundaries. Conversely, some landholders pursuing development outside of existing settlement boundaries wish to ensure that the vision does not preclude opportunities for future urban development. Furthermore, some landholders submitted in support of the vision, and provided evidence of their development plans that aligned with and promoted the vision and strategic directions. There was strong support for the protection of
2 3 submissions were incorporated into the online survey dataset
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DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING, BELLARINE PENINSULA – DISTINCTIVE AREAS AND LANDSCAPES, FINAL, 15 JULY 2020 green breaks and protection of agricultural landscapes, aligning with the support for certainty on settlement boundaries (see section 4.3.8 ).
Some participants noted that the word ‘destination’ should be changed to ‘community’ as it does not imply the reliance on tourists’ visitation. Participants also noted that planning for settlement and visitation should consider the carrying capacity of the environment to withstand increased human impacts, both from permanent settlement and visitation. Many submission responses expressed that the vision lacked detail and strength of language about the threats of climate change and planned mitigation measures. Participants referenced the need for more clarity around rainfall and freshwater shortages, extreme weather events and stormwater management, bushfire risks, coastal erosion, sea-level rise and inundation. Participants also sought further detail on how net-zero emissions could be achieved, suggesting the inclusion of ‘clean and green tourism’, ‘sustainable agricultural production’ and ‘sensitive natural resource utilisation’ (see section 4.3.7).
Heritage and recognition of and protection of Wadawurrung culture was highly supported, though some noted that the protection for early settler heritage should also be highlighted.
“Words such as ‘unique’ and ’special’ may lead us away from the recognition that unique areas or features cannot exist on their own. They are supported by, and are inter-dependent with other areas, which may appear ordinary.”
4.3.2 Strategic directions
Many participants noted that the strategic directions were intrinsically linked. The impacts of urban development, housing density and population growth was a key concern for many participants across all strategic directions. It was noted as negatively affecting the environment and biodiversity and landscapes, green breaks and scenic views, coastal lifestyle, infrastructure, tourism, agriculture, and heritage.
The issue of funding, planning controls and planning processes were also frequently highlighted as pertinent to the implementation and success of the outlined directions. The Responsible Public Entities sought further clarification on their roles in implementing the SPP. 4.3.3 Landscapes
Participants highlighted landscapes as a key attraction to the area and drew connections to the health and protection of the environment and biodiversity as important features of the landscape. Many participants noted that the landscape was already considerably depleted and required active protection and restoration.
Some frequently noted features of the landscape include:
• green breaks between townships
• agricultural lands
• roadside vegetation, noting opposition to road widening and roadside clearing
• seascapes and vistas and connection to the coast.
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Participants were concerned about the potential landscape impacts of urban development, with particular mention of development on elevated plateaus such as farmland in the east of Banks Road, Ocean Grove, and the areas surrounding Leopold and Drysdale / Clifton Springs.
There was some debate about the value of agricultural landscapes and whether they were most valued for their contribution to landscape character and visitation appeal, or whether the economic or ecological values were of primary importance. Some landholders who commented on landscape values argued that their land was not of value to the Bellarine landscape, and that development would not degrade existing landscapes or could be achieved in a manner that is sensitive to existing and surrounding landscapes. 4.3.4 Biodiversity and environmental values
Participants highlighted the biodiversity and environmental values as a key feature to the Bellarine Peninsula. Concerns were mainly raised around the impacts of settlements and population growth on the environment. Environmental groups provided supplementary information to support the biodiversity values of the Bellarine Peninsula.
Key notes included:
• concerns regarding the inclusion of the word ‘offset’ in reference to vegetation, arguing that offsets provide little benefit to the areas where vegetation was cleared. Participants emphasised that destroyed vegetation must be offset by habitat with similar Ecological Vegetation Classes in the Bellarine Peninsula and that alternative management measures should be pursued
• many concerns raised regarding the impacts of settlements, population growth and supporting infrastructure
• population and visitation growth may exceed the ‘carrying capacity’ of the environment
• debate over the value of small-scale farming; some argued that that small-scale farming is not viable, whilst others argued its value in supporting biodiversity if the landscape was managed to provide bio-links
• mention the threat of run-offs from urban development and agricultural land damaging Ramsar sites. Examples given were:
o Reedy Lake (invasion of Paspalum distichum)
o Hospital Swamps Ramsar Site (run-offs from Armstrong Creek)
o the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve
o run-offs from Thirteenth Beach Golf Course and Residential Estate threatening the naturally saline hydrology and saltmarsh habitat at Lake Murtnaghurt
o run-offs from new developments such as the Oakdene and Kingston estates to downstream wetlands such as Freshwater Lake
• mention of the environmental value of roadside vegetation, and lack of rehabilitation when cleared
• support for the involvement of First Nations people in land management to complement the scientific advice from expert ecologists and community habitat conservation groups
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• suggestion to restrict urban development from areas near natural woodlands where intermittent ecological or fuel reduction burning is required
• mention that specific plans and commitments should be made for the conservation of endangered species
• comment that the description of the species of conservation value in the Discussion Paper was inadequate and misleading; community groups provided details of key threatened flora and fauna species; some suggested to mention species listed under the ‘Critically Endangered and Endangered Species’ in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act
• support for biodiversity mapping across public and private land with adequate incentives and community involvement
• suggestion that all coastal Crown Land Reserves should be zoned as ‘Public Conservation and Resource Zone’ to ensure they cannot be privatised
• suggestion that ‘the Lake Connewarre Wetland Complex’ is a more inclusive term that includes areas of supportive surrounding vegetation
• suggestion for planned retreat and land buybacks to form new habitats for coastal vegetation (such as salt marsh), as coastal erosion and inundation move these habitats inland.
4.3.5 Heritage
Overall, participants offered support for the strategic directions for Heritage. Participants supported the promotion of Wadawurrung culture and greater education on the historical values of the area, suggesting the development of a cultural centre to serve this purpose. Some key notes included:
• further detail to be provided on protection of early settlers’ history, maritime and war heritage including the three headlands (Point Nepean, Point Lonsdale and Shortland’s Bluff/Queenscliff Fort)
• greater certainty in ongoing research and investigation to ensure that areas of heritage value that are yet to be discovered are protected
• greater certainty around heritage overlays to protect town character (with particular reference to Queenscliff, Drysdale, Leopold and Clifton Springs, with concern expressed that intensified development would impact town character).
Landholders who commented on the strategic directions for heritage, either supported the exploration of lands prior to development or provided evidence that their landholdings were not of heritage value. 4.3.6 Economy and infrastructure
Overall, participants offered support for the strategic directions for Economy and Infrastructure. The value of the agricultural industry, tourism sector and housing development were frequently discussed. Key notes included:
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• better linkage between the ‘Economy and Infrastructure’ strategic direction with the distinctive landscapes of Bellarine Peninsula, to ensure the protection of key attractions of Bellarine (for instance Ocean Grove Nature Reserve)
• seek assurance that permanent township boundaries would not restrict eco-tourism development
• mention that housing development also has benefits to economy and should be acknowledged
• greater emphasis on protecting farming land and activities; and promoting regenerative farming practices
• agricultural land was valued by environmental groups as providing a valuable habitat for migrating bird species
• some questioned the environmental value of small-plot farmland, hence expressed that not all agricultural land should be protected
• environmental groups emphasised that open space agricultural land with adjacent vegetation bio-links is critical to conserving many local fauna species
• some valued hobby farming activities (for example recreational fishing), while some view this as non-productive to meet the requirements of DAL classification
• seeking clarification on the definition of ‘high-value land’
• greater emphasis on the protection of water source for agricultural activities, particularly for wine production. 4.3.7 Environmental risks and resilience
Overall the strategic directions for Environmental risks and resilience were well supported, however participants felt that the impacts of climate change and mitigation strategies were not adequately addressed. Participants also felt that there was a lack of detail in identifying the risks in the discussion paper. Frequently noted areas included:
• more explicit directions on a transfer to renewable energy sources and net-zero emissions
• diminishing freshwater resources and impacts for human and agricultural uses
• stormwater runoff from extreme weather events causing damage to sensitive waterways and wetlands
• coastal erosion and sea level rise, with many proposing planned retreat and land buy backs in addition to stopping coastal development.
• bush fire should include the risk to tourism, the natural environment and agriculture, stock and infrastructure.
Participants noted that bushfire and land management practices overall should include traditional practices known to the Wadawurrung people and ecological experts. They also noted that education and community participation in management of environmental risks both on public and private lands would be key to the success of any implemented changes.
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Participants frequently noted the impacts of settlement, visitation and population growth as an ongoing risk to the environment, noting direct impacts on ecosystems as people traverse sensitive environments or leave rubbish. Indirect impacts included increased stormwater run-off from increased hardscaping of urban environments, and ongoing decline of vegetation coverage and leaf canopies. Participants argued that enforcement of settlement boundaries and restrictions to population growth would support the mitigation of these risks. 4.3.8 Settlements
Settlements and settlement planning were a key area of concern for all submitters. Many participants referenced evidence provided at the findings of panel hearings for Amendment C395 to the City of Greater Geelong Settlement Strategy, Amendment C346 and Clause 21.14 in the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme, and Amendment C346 in the Ocean Grove Structure Plan.
Specific regions of development contention included the following areas:
• surrounding Ocean Grove
• in Queenscliff, Drysdale, Leopold and Clifton Springs
• to the west of Barwon Heads
• around Point Lonsdale.
Community groups and members predominantly supported the DAL declaration in confirming existing settlement boundaries for the long-term enforced in legislation through the SPP. The importance of settlement boundaries was also drawn across all other policy domains. Community groups noted many ecologically sensitive areas which would be impacted by intensified development or greenfield development through their submissions.
Key points of discussion included:
• a desire to stop any further development outside of current settlement boundaries
• concern that new urban development and population growth conflicts with the intentions of other policy domains to protect natural environments, natural assets and landscapes
• concern about coastal development
• concerns about increased density, division and intensification, hardscaping, vegetation loss and flow-on impacts to the environment
• overall growth impacts on the City of Greater Geelong as being absorbed by the Bellarine Peninsula
• growth demands impacting on town character, such as height and density increases, and loss of heritage features.
Some community members also expressed concern that the existing planning assessment process for defining settlement boundaries through advisory panels and panel hearings was difficult to participate in and expressed concerns about a lack of community resources (time and finance) to continue to gather and submit evidence through the process.
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Landholders with development interests expressed concern regarding the possibility of long- term settlement boundaries without possibility of review or further investigation. Though one landholder with development interest was clear to outline how urban development could be undertaken in a way that supported the DAL vision, all landholders argued that the SPP and DAL process should align with existing planning policy. Many supported a three-stage process to defining settlement boundaries, which would include:
• assessment under the DAL process
• logical inclusions process as undertaken by the City of Greater Geelong Council
• review of the existing structure plans.
Some developers noted that the settlement boundaries are already identified in the City of Greater Geelong’s Planning Scheme and there is no need for that settlement boundary to be included as part of the SPP for the Bellarine Peninsula. They also argued the lack of value and productivity of farmland in pursuit of changes to current zoning.
They also noted a commitment by the City of Greater Geelong to review the Ocean Grove Structure Plan by 2021 (Clause 21.14) including an assessment of long-term growth options (both infill and settlement expansion). Clause 21.14 also included an objective to facilitate the development of Ocean Grove, Drysdale, Clifton Springs and Leopold as hubs of development and service provision on the Bellarine Peninsula. They expressed concern that the DAL process changes this intention and does not allow them the opportunity to gather and present evidence. They also noted that the assessment of settlement boundaries should be undertaken by an independent third party.
Furthermore, one submission highlighted that the DAL process did not provide enough detail for participants to be able to sufficiently provide comment. They noted that the process could be improved by increasing availability of boundary maps and all reference documents as evidence of DAL assessment. It was also suggested that the DAL process should reference current planning processes and policy, and potential conflicts. They noted that sufficient time is needed for submissions to be provided at each stage of the engagement process, and the importance of ensuring that all interested parties are made aware of the opportunity to comment.
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5 Next steps
A draft Statement of Planning Policy is expected to be prepared for Bellarine Peninsula DAL in late-2020. Following the release of the document, a third phase of engagement will be undertaken to receive feedback.
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Appendix A
Table 9: A summary table of flora and fauna species mentioned by submitters
Location Flora Fauna
Bellarine Peninsula (general) Coastal Moonah Woodland Australasian Bittern
Grassy woodland (EVC) Barn Owl
Grassy Eucalypt Woodland Blue-winged Parrot of the Victorian Volcanic Plain Brown Falcons Bellarine Yellow Gums Brown Goshawks
Coastal Manna Gums Brown-headed Honeyeater Swamp Gums Collared Sparrowhawks Black She-oaks Crested Shrike-tit Grassy Eucalypt Woodland of the Victorian Volcanic Eastern Curlew Plain (EVC) Echidna Natural Temperate Grassland of the Victorian Fairy Tern Volcanic Plain (EVC) Flame Robin Seasonal Herbaceous Wetlands (Freshwater) of Freckled Duck theTemperate Lowland Plains (EVC) Glossy Grass Skink Subtropical and Temperate Great Egret Coastal Saltmarsh (EVC) Grey Currawong
Grey Fantails Grey Goshawk Grey-headed Flying-fox
Growling Grass Frog (Litoria raniformis)
Hooded Plover
Humpback Whale
Koala
Laughing Kookaburra
Mistletoebird
Musk Lorikeets
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Olive-backed Oriole
Painted Button-quail
Peregrine Falcons
Pink Robin
Red Wattlebirds
Satin Flycatcher
Short-beaked Echidna
Shy Albatross
Silvereyes
Southern Boobook
Striated Pardalotes
Striated Thornbill
Swift Parrot
Tawny Frogmouth
Wedge-tailed Eagles
White-bellied Sea-Eagle
White-eared Honeyeater
White-naped Honeyeaters
White-throated Needletail
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
Yellow-tailed Black-Cockatoo
Ocean Grove Nature Bellarine Yellow Gums Bats Reserve Black She-oaks Bibron’s Toadlet
Coastal Manna Gums Black Wallaby
Grass Trees Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes
Grassy woodland (EVC) Brush-tailed possum
Swamp Gums Cuckoos
Xanthorrhoea australis Eastern Rosella
30 species of orchids and Echidna many other wildflowers Flame Robins
Grey-headed Flying Fox
invertebrates including ants, spiders and butterflies
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Koala
Microbats
Olive-backed Orioles.
Red-rumped Parrot
Ring-tailed Possum
Rufous Fantails
Rufous Whistlers
Swift Parrot (critically endangered)
White’s Skink
167 bird species
seven reptile species and five frog species
Native Grasslands Australasian Pipit Brown Falcon
Brown Songlark
Little Eagle
Singing Bushlark
Stubble Quail
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Salt marsh Orange-bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster)
Between Swan Bay and Eastern Grey Kangaroo Breamlea
Small natural wetlands Frogs which connect to the Lake Connewarre system, part of the Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar Site
Reedy Lake and Hospital Paspalum distichum Australasian Bittern Swamps
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DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING, BELLARINE PENINSULA – DISTINCTIVE AREAS AND LANDSCAPES, FINAL, 15 JULY 2020
The Lake Connewarre Orange-bellied parrot complex and Swan Bay Eastern Curlew wetlands Curlew Sandpiper
Red Knot
Migratory shorebird populations
Lake Murtnaghurt. Saltmarsh
Near Portarlington Adamson's Blown-grass
Barwon River systems and Yarra Pygmy Perch wetlands Australian Grayling
Muds Islands Fairy Tern
Other locations mentioned with high biodiversity value were:
• Begola Wetlands
• Blue Waters Lake
• Biolink from Lake Connewarre to Ocean Grove Nature Reserve to Buckley Foreshore Reserve to Swan Bay
• Bream Creek estuary
• Buckley Park Foreshore Reserve and adjacent private land
• Drysdale tip
• Edwards Point Wildlife Reserve, St Leonards
• Lake Lorne
• Lake Murtnagurt
• Lakers Cutting
• McLeods Waterholes, Drysdale
• Salt Lake
• Sand Island
• Swan Bay Road in Wallington (private land)
• Swan Island
• The Basin, Drysdale
• The Yarram Creek riparian zone (private land)
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• Thompson Creek estuary wetlands, Breamlea
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