New coastal strategy to guide land manager for decades

A LARGE-SCALE project to formulate four separate Bellarine Bayside plans related to the region’s coastal Crown land is now under community consultation.

The ‘Planning Our Future Coast’ will “guide the future directions and management of the coastal Crown land”.

As part of the project, Bellarine Bayside is developing four key documents that will form a holistic and comprehensive approach to managing the northern Bellarine coast.

The four projects include the Coastal and Marine Management Plan (CMMP), Coastal Adaptation Plan (CAP), Point Richards Flora and Fauna Reserve Management Plan (PRFFRMP) and Beach Access Study (BAS).

“We want to hear what your vision is for our coast,” Bellarine Bayside states on its website.

“Tell us about your values, concerns and ideas, helping to shape our future plans and decision-making.

“While each plan is independent and serves a specific purpose with standalone objectives and scope, they will work together to guide the sustainable management, long-term protection and enjoyment of our coast for the Victorian community.

“Feedback sought from the community for these four plans will also help inform other relevant plans that we undertake over the next 12 months.”

The CMMP will serve as the organisation’s overarching project, which will oversee the PRFFRMP, CAP and BAS.

The CMMP will provide a wider vision with goals and potential actions to guide Bellarine Bayside through its management of land reserves around the region through the formation of the other three minor projects.

Bellarine Bayside’s CAP will aim to provide place-based, best practice and long-term coastal hazard risk management to be implemented to coastal public land on the northern Bellarine Peninsula encompassing towns such as Portarlington, St Leonards and Indented Head.

The PRFFRMP fully focuses on one of the largest native bushland and wetlands in the region, with strategic guidance for decision-making, investment and management advising Bellarine Bayside how to maintain Point Richards over the next two decades.

Consultation with the BAS will outline new ways of improving beach access on the northern Bellarine, with Bellarine Bayside currently looking after 333 beach access points.

Consultation on the Planning our Future Coast will end on January 17 next year.

To view the overall project and its outlines, head to conversations.bellarinebayside.com.au/planning-our-future-coast