WESTERN REGIONAL COASTAL PLAN 2015–2020 Western Coastal Board Authorised and published by the Victorian PO Box 103, Geelong, 3220, Victoria, Australia Government, Department of Environment, Phone: (03) 5226 4008 Land, Water and Planning, 8 Nicholson Electronic copies of the draft plan are Street, East Melbourne, September 2015 available online at www.wcb.vic.gov.au. If © The State of Victoria Department of you would like printed copies or have any Environment, Land, Water and Planning questions about the draft plan, please Melbourne 2015 contact us using the details above. Members of the Western Coastal Board at the time of preparing this Regional Coastal Plan were: This work is licensed under a Creative Cr Jill Parker – Chair Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence. Ms Carole Reid You are free to re-use the work under that Honorary Assoc. Professor John Sherwood licence, on the condition that you credit the Mr Oliver Moles State of Victoria as author. The licence does Mr Mark Edmonds not apply to any images, photographs or Mr Raymond Page branding, including the Victorian Coat of Mr Matthew Gorman Arms and the Victorian Government logo. Mr Glenn Wallace To view a copy of this licence, visit http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/ The Western Coastal Board proudly deed.en acknowledges Victorian Aboriginal communities and their rich culture; and pays ISBN 978-1-74146-782-6 (Print) its respects to the Traditional Owners of the ISBN 978-1-74146-783-3 (pdf) Western coastal region. The Board also Disclaimer recognises the intrinsic connection of traditional owners to Country and This publication may be of assistance to you acknowledges their contribution in the but the State of Victoria and its employees management of land, water and do not guarantee that the publication is resources management. without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Unless stated, images sourced from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. Front Cover Top: The Great Ocean Road coastline at the Twelve Apostles. Bottom left to right: Hobie Cats at Point Roadknight, Anglesea, photo: Great Ocean Road Coast Committee. Sea Sweep schooling in the Twelve Apostles Marine National Park, photo: Parks Victoria. Great Ocean Walk, photo: Kyeong Woo Kim, Tourism Victoria. The Beach, Warrnambool, Victoria, c1920-1954. Rose Stereograph Co. WESTERN REGIONAL I COASTAL PLAN CONTENTS Minister’s Foreword II Balanced Decision Making 16 List of Figures Chair’s Foreword II 4 Managing regional population and tourism Figure 1: The three levels of 1 Introduction 1 pressures 16 planning for coastal management 1 1.1 What is the Regional Coastal Plan? 1 4.1 Background 16 Figure 2: The Western coastal region 3 1.2 How the Regional Coastal Plan will be used 2 4.2 The Boating Coastal Action Plan 18 Figure 3: An indicative map of key 4.3 The Draft Shipwreck Coast Master Plan 19 regional social, economic and 1.3 The role of the Western Coastal Board 2 environmental values of the 1.4 Who we work with on land and water 3 4.4 Activity and recreation nodes 19 Western coastal region 9 1.5 The structure of this plan 4 4.5 Key challenges and actions 20 Figure 4: Managing visitor satisfaction with their coastal 1.6 Priority actions for Western coastal region 4 5 A regional approach to foreshore management 21 experience – key amenity values 10 Understanding and Valuing the Coast 6 5.1 Background 21 Figure 5: Community coastal 5.2 Working together 23 2 Coastal values 6 values guide decisions in the 2.1 Environmental values 6 5.3 Key challenges and actions 24 Western coastal region 12 2.2 Aboriginal cultural values 7 6 Adapting to climate change and increased Figure 6: Visitation to regional coastal hazards 25 Victoria’s tourism destinations 2010 15 2.3 Social and historical values 8 6.1 Background 25 Figure 7: An indicative map of 2.4 Economic values 11 6.2 Adaptation planning to manage flooding boating hierarchy of facilities 2.5 Protecting coastal values 12 and erosion 25 from the Western Boating Coastal Action Plan 2010 18 3 The dynamics of the coast 13 6.3 Port Fairy and Barwon South West Coast Figure 8: Indicative map of 3.1 Natural coastal processes 13 key projects 28 foreshore, marine park and 3.2 Climate change 13 6.4 Key challenges and actions 28 sanctuary managers 21 3.3 Connections to catchments 14 Implementation 29 Figure 9: Map indicating areas for 3.4 Demographic trends 14 7 Supporting communities caring for the coast 29 hazard assessment and adaptation planning (based on coastal 7.1 Background 29 3.5 Visitation trends 15 instability and low lying areas) 27 7.2 Actions 30 List of Tables 8 Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting 31 Table 1: Western regional priorities 4 9 References 32 Table 2: Projected population for Appendices 33 local government areas in the Western coastal region 15 II WESTERN REGIONAL COASTAL PLAN MINISTER’S FOREWORD CHAIR’S FOREWORD The coast is close to the hearts of the This Plan will support government The Western coastline is a spectacular sure we pass on our coast in good individuals, community groups, local many Victorians who live near it, or visit agencies, community and industry part of Victoria. The region is close to condition to future generations. This councils and agencies in February and it, and enjoy all that it has to offer. groups to work more collaboratively in the hearts of all residents and visitors Plan outlines regional priorities to March 2015. We received 52 written Communities along the coastline are managing the coast. It will help coastal from near and abroad. Its diverse address existing and emerging submissions about the draft plan: 40 deeply connected to their local managers and communities tackle coastal landscapes range from the wild concerns. It includes regional-scale focusing on the Western coastal region landscape and care about the future of challenges on the coast in their region beaches and dunes of Disaster Bay, actions to: and another 12 covering statewide the coast. more effectively, and with greater estuaries such as the Hopkins River at – protect the natural values of the issues. These submissions and the Our coastal environment is complex coordination. It will enable us to be Warrnambool, the cliffs of the world- coast; feedback from the face-to-face and constantly changing, and there are more responsive and adaptable as famous Twelve Apostles and the iconic meetings were a key part of revising pressures change over time, and our Great Ocean Road – recognised as one – systematically assess the way we use and finalising this Plan. The Board many pressures that need to be the coast; understood and managed better. As understanding of climate change of only sixteen National Landscapes in appreciates the time and effort of Minister and a Local Member of a implications improves. Australia. – better integrate and coordinate everyone who gave their thoughts and coastal area, I appreciate how The local knowledge, passion and The region supports vibrant coastal planning and management; provided input. important it is to understand, protect enthusiasm of Victoria’s coastal communities , strong regional – increase the awareness of coastal I would like to acknowledge the work and care for the things we love about managers and communities is industries and major tourist hazards, particularly with the of the Board and thank everyone who the coast. invaluable, and I look forward to destinations. It is an area where people predicted impacts of climate contributed to the development of the Victoria has a strong coastal planning working together to ensure that the live, work and relax. change, and help communities Plan. I believe this Plan will help us work and management framework, based on diverse natural, social, cultural and Many of the cultural, social and make the best choices for the future; together at a regional level to tackle the the Victorian Coastal Strategy (2014). economic values of the coast that we economic values of the Western coast and challenges we face, to make the best enjoy today remain for future use of the region’s coast and to protect The Western Coastal Board has developed rely on the coast’s natural environment – recognise and support the many generations. the many values that make it so special this Regional Coastal Plan to build on being well managed and protected. organisations and individuals that to the people who live and visit. that framework and outline how the Those fortunate enough to live in the give their time to monitor and Strategy should be put into practice. The Hon Lisa Neville MP Western coastal region understand that protect coastal values for all of us. being able to continue to enjoy what Minister for Environment, Climate Taking into account the perspectives, Councillor Jill Parker the coast has to offer depends on us Change and Water ideas and knowledge of the region’s Chair, Western Coastal Board using and managing it wisely and community and coastal managers was maintaining the natural features that a major part of developing this Plan. make such an important contribution Following an initial round of to our enjoyment. consultation in 2014, the Western Managing and protecting the coast is Regional Coastal Board released a draft not simple. There are many pressures, plan in February 2015 to prompt risks and challenges to address to make discussion. The Board met with WESTERN REGIONAL 1 COASTAL PLAN 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 What is the Regional Coastal Plan? Victorian Coastal Developed by the Sets statewide direction Victorian Coastal for coastal planners The Regional Coastal Plan for the Strategy Council and managers Western Coastal Region is a statutory Coastal Action Plan endorsed under Part 3 of the Coastal Management Act 1995.