Oyster trial begins at Dell Eco Reef

THE Dell Eco Reef in Clifton Springs is entering a new phase, with a trial at the site hoping to bring native oysters back to the area.

Installed in October 2022, the award-winning project in the Dell is a nature-based solution designed as a response to coastal erosion along the Bellarine Peninsula.

The artificial reef also aims to restore marine habitats, including the critically threatened native flat oyster.

As part of the project, scientists from the University of Melbourne’s Coastal and Estuarine Adaptation Lab – supported by the Victorian government’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action via the Port Phillip Bay Fund – and community volunteers recently deployed over 1,000 juvenile Angasi oysters onto the reef modules, which will be monitored over the coming months for survival and growth.

City of Greater Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj said the Dell Eco Reef was leading the way in sustainability and coastal protection.

“This project is testament to the incredible people working at the City of Greater Geelong and their ability to collaborate with conservation leaders,” Cr Kontelj said.

“It is not hard to see why the Dell has been recognised nationally and globally and the work being done there now only serves to validate the praise our team has received.”

Community involvement has been a key feature of the project, with local residents, school students, and coast care volunteers helping with the oyster deployment and continuing to contribute to ongoing monitoring efforts.

The city’s strategic coastal planner Ralph Roob said the reef had already shown signs of success, with promising results from initial pilot studies.

“This is really about more than just coastal protection, it is about bringing back an entire ecosystem and building resilience against climate change.

“We hope the lessons we learn here will help protect other vulnerable coastlines, not just in sheltered bays, but in more exposed environments too.”

With plans to expand the reef and incorporate navigation aids in future modules, the Dell Eco Reef is also attracting attention from coastal managers across Australia looking for scalable nature-based solutions.