GIPPSLAND REGIONAL COASTAL PLAN 2015–2020 DRAFT Submissions on the draft plan are invited. Authorised and published by the Victorian Please make your submission by 5pm on Government, Department of Environment, Friday 20 March 2015 by post or email to: Land, Water and Planning, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne, February 2015 Gippsland Coastal Board 71 Hotham Street, Traralgon VIC 3844 © The State of Victoria Department of Phone: (03) 5172 2543 Environment, Land, Water and Planning Email: [email protected] Melbourne 2015 (If emailing, please supply postal address details) Electronic copies of the draft plan are This work is licensed under a Creative available online at www.gcb.vic.gov.au. Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence. If you would like printed copies or have any You are free to re-use the work under that questions about the draft plan, please licence, on the condition that you credit the contact us using the details above. State of Victoria as author. The licence does Members of the Gippsland Coastal Board are: not apply to any images, photographs or Cr Richard Ellis (Chair) branding, including the Victorian Coat of Mr Ian Needham Arms and the Victorian Government logo. Mr Peter Jennings To view a copy of this licence, visit http:// Mr Paul Smith creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/ Mr Michael (Des) Sinnott OAM deed.en Mr Rod Thomas ISBN 978-1-74146-357-6 (Print) The Gippsland Coastal Board proudly ISBN 978-1-74146-358-3 (pdf) acknowledges Victorian Aboriginal Disclaimer communities and their rich culture; and pays This publication may be of assistance to you its respects to the Traditional Owners in the but the State of Victoria and its employees Gippsland Coastal Region. The Board also do not guarantee that the publication is recognises the intrinsic connection of without flaw of any kind or is wholly Traditional Owners to Country and appropriate for your particular purposes and acknowledges their contribution in the therefore disclaims all liability for any error, management of land, water and resources loss or other consequence which may arise management. from you relying on any information in this publication. Unless stated, images sourced from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. Front Cover Bottom centre: Metung, photo: Roberto Seba, Tourism Victoria. Bottom right: Lakes Entrance, Victoria. c1920-1954 Rose Stereograph Co. GIPPSLAND REGIONAL I COASTAL PLAN DRAFT CONTENTS Minister’s Foreword II Balanced Decision Making 13 List of Figures Chair’s Foreword II 4 Managing regional visitation pressures and Figure 1: The Coastal Management Act maximising access 13 Hierarchy – Role of the Regional Executive Summary III Coastal Plans 1 1 Introduction 1 4.1 Background 13 Figure 2: Organisations with significant 4.2 The Boating Coastal Action Plan 14 responsibilities for coastal planning and 1.1 About the Gippsland Coastal Board 1 management within the boundary of the 4.3 The Gippsland Lakes Environmental Strategy 15 Gippsland coastal region 3 1.2 The Plan at a glance 2 4.4 Activity and Recreation Nodes 15 Figure 3: Key regional social, economic and 1.3 Who we work with on land and water 3 environmental values of the Gippsland Valuing and Understanding the Coast 4 4.5 Key challenges and actions 16 coastal region 5 5 A regional approach to foreshore management 17 Figure 4: Managing visitor satisfaction with 2 Coastal values 4 their coastal experience – key amenity 5.1 Background 17 2.1 Environmental values 4 values 7 5.2 Working better together 19 Figure 5: Community coastal values guide 2.2 Social and cultural values 6 decisions in the Gippsland coastal region 9 5.3 Key challenges and actions 20 2.3 Economic values 8 Figure 6: Map of boating hierarchy of 2.4 Protecting coastal values 8 6 Regional-scale planning for coastal flooding facilities from the Gippsland Boating and erosion 21 Coastal Action Plan 2013 14 3 The dynamics of the coast 10 Figure 7: Map of foreshore and 6.1 Background 21 waterway managers 17 3.1 Natural coastal processes 10 6.2 Key challenges and actions 25 Figure 8: Map of coastal instability and 3.2 A changing climate 10 Implementation 26 areas for further coastal hazard 3.3 Demographic trends 11 investigation 22 7 Supporting communities caring for the coast 26 3.4 Visitation trends 11 7.1 Background 26 3.5 Emerging markets 12 7.2 Actions 27 8 Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting 28 9 References 29 Appendices 30 II GIPPSLAND REGIONAL COASTAL PLAN DRAFT MINISTER’S FOREWORD CHAIR’S FOREWORD Victorians love the coast. It is a vital part At a regional level, the Gippsland Gippsland is a uniquely spectacular part support that work on the big issues at a of our lives. As Minister and a Local Coastal Board has used this framework of Victoria, with its unspoilt wilderness, regional level. Member of a coastal area, I’m keen to to develop a draft Regional Coastal Plan. pristine beaches and rich array of How do we make sure the coast make sure we continue to protect and The Regional Plan will identify wildlife on land and underwater. continues to be the place we love, maintain all the things we as a opportunities for more localised Alongside our coast’s pure white sandy while planning for more people community value about our coast. decision-making and bring together beaches, headlands and peaks are the wanting to visit and settle here? How Our coastal environment is complex the many agencies, stakeholders and significant oil, gas and coal resources do communities plan for coastal and constantly changing, requiring us community groups that play a role in that supply much of Australia’s energy. flooding in a way that makes sense to managing our coast. to be responsive and adaptable. For Gippsland’s residents our coast is a them but doesn’t leave future Working together to tackle challenges I’m proud that our communities are source of well-being and relaxation, an generations with a debt they can’t pay? on the coast, such as climate change, deeply passionate and engaged about attractive expanse to enjoy with family How can we simplify foreshore will ensure that future generations will their coast and its future, and I and friends. management and make more out of be able to enjoy the coast, as we do encourage all those who have a stake the available resources and our joint today. in the coast to have their say on the Whether it’s on a boat exploring the efforts? draft plan. Lakes network of waterways, camping Victoria’s coastal planning and down the Prom or Cape Conran, surfing And how do we continue to support management framework is a great Local expertise, ideas and knowledge on the Bass coast or walking along the and encourage more community foundation for effective coastal care, are critical to successful coastal Ninety Mile Beach, we recognise that involvement in protecting those coastal and the Victorian Coastal Strategy management, and I look forward to Gippsland is a paradise for all. values we love? provides overarching guidance and working with Victorians to fulfil our We think the actions outlined in this direction to coastal decision-makers. collective vision for a healthy coast. This plan acknowledges all the good work going on to identify, understand document will make a difference over and protect the local, regional and the next five years and now we are The Hon Lisa Neville MP statewide values of the coast and to keen to know what you think. Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water Councillor Richard A Ellis Chair, Gippsland Coastal Board Metung Photo: Roberto Seba, Tourism Victoria GIPPSLAND REGIONAL III COASTAL PLAN DRAFT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY There is nowhere like the southern This plan sets out a regional approach Australian coast. This massive southern to managing visitation pressures by facing expanse of temperate shoreline developing a service level hierarchy for is only found in Australia, and Gippsland visitation infrastructure and map how represents the eastern portion of that those service levels are distributed expanse. around the region at the moment. This The Gippsland coast is a unique mix of will then allow us to identify the spectacular wilderness areas, agricultural optimum distribution for the future. landscapes and vibrant coastal Gippsland’s coastal waters need to be communities. Gippsland’s plant and accessible so people can continue to animal species have evolved in response enjoy them. The starting point for to these conditions; consequently doing that is to implement key actions many are only found in this region. Its within The Gippsland Boating Coastal foreshores and waterways are prized for Action Plan. Through this Plan we will their environmental, social, cultural and develop the ideas used for boating and economic values. apply them more broadly to other The Gippsland coast is particularly forms of visitation. High season at Lakes vulnerable to erosion. Less than 10 per Many other things are also best Entrance We need to plan and act in ways that cent of it consists of the rocky headlands considered at the regional-scale. For help people to value and understand that resist erosion. The rest is made up example, even though the Victorian the coast. We need to plan and act in of highly erodible dunes and sandy coast is 96 per cent Crown land there ways that help them to use and beaches. are, for good reasons, a range of appreciate it. People love the Gippsland different organisations managing that Victoria’s cultural and institutional history coast. Many of them travel long land. There are synergies to be achieved has bequeathed to us distinctive coastal distances to get here.