Coastcare meeting highlights important work

OCEAN Grove Coastcare volunteers planted more than 1,000 native plants and removed about 200 kilograms of rubbish from local beaches during the past 12 months.

OGCC held its Annual General Meeting last Wednesday, with attendees hearing about what activities and actions the group had undertaken.

Another was the forming of a Plastic Bag Free sub-committee that ran a highly successful film night in June and is working at developing resources for the public regarding alternatives to plastic.

In her report to the meeting, outgoing president Frances McAloon thanked local agencies and business who had funded events and provided in-kind support and commented on the impressive number of community volunteers who had actively taken part in OGCC activities this year.

Ms McAloon also acknowledged the recent passing of John O’Reilly, a founding member of Ocean Grove Coastcare and past president, vice-president and treasurer.

She said Mr O’Reilly had contributed significantly to a number of local community environment organisations, and would be greatly missed.

Ms McAloon was thanked by treasurer Jackie Scally on behalf of the committee for her contribution as president over the past two years, before presenting her with gifts of wine and flowers.

Earlier in the evening, guest speaker Leigh Dennis from the City of Greater Geelong spoke regarding the Our Coast project, which is helping local coastal communities prepare for the impacts of rising sea levels.

Mr Dennis presented a model that predicted significant impact to parts of Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove if sea level rise continued at predicted rates.

Findings such as these reaffirmed to many in the room the importance of groups such as Ocean Grove Coastcare in the ongoing protection and management of our coasts.

A new committee of eight was elected at the meeting.

Their first meeting will be held in the boardroom of the Ocean Grove Bowls Club, 18 The Terrace, today (Thursday) at 7pm.

The committee invites all Ocean Grove Coastcare members and interested individuals of the broader community to also attend.

Please contact [email protected] for more information.