Stormwater threat

A MARCUS Hill landowner says innovative ideas such as attracting high-water-use industries to the Bellarine could provide solutions for increasing stormwater flooding downstream of Ocean Grove housing developments.
Bruce Donaldson, who made a detailed submission to the City of Greater Geelong’s Ocean Grove Stormwater Study in March, is concerned that a plan to better manage stormwater and prevent flooding is not already in place.
Bruce is urging action to address the potential risks of flooding of homes, local roads, farmland and the long-term environmental impact from increasing housing stormwater.
“I have concerns regarding changes in the water flow by the developments at the Oaks Estate, Oakdene Estate and Kingston Downs Estate,” he said.
“As these developments are located at the top of the catchment there will be an impact to both private and public assets as well the health of Freshwater Lake and Lake Victoria.”
He said it was a “bit bewildering” that the council made sure the flooding risk was managed within the developments but not yet managed the flood risk for properties further downstream.
Bruce said changes in water quality could range from salinity, turbidity and macro and micro pollutants, which would impact ecosystems across the RAMSAR-listed waterways, migratory birds and local farms.
“These areas are listed as RAMSAR and on the Important Wetland Register for their natural biodiversity, migratory bird species and habitat for threatened species such as the hooded plover, eastern curlew and growling grass frog,” he said.
“These species thrive here because of the natural flow regime, which is seasonally wet and dries semi-regularly.
“With changes in the flow from the developments this will affect the species and the lake through increased sedimentation, higher water level, less frequent drying
and pollutants.
“Farming is one of the unique enterprises that the Bellarine prides itself on, being outlined in a number of state and local government documents as a key driver of growth on the Bellarine.”
Bruce said he wanted authorities to consider innovative ways to manage stormwater, prioritising protection of the environment and downstream properties.
“Maybe the council should be looking at attracting industries that use a lot of water to the Bellarine,” he said, explaining the benefits to the region and industries reliant on water supply.
Bruce said he was keen to hear the outcome of the study and hoped that the advice of local property owners would be taken on board and the increasing risk of flooding be taken seriously.
Greater Geelong’s city services director Guy Wilson-Browne said the study’s preliminary findings and a summary of the community engagement would be publicised later this year and the final study was also expected to be presented to council in 2022.