Beach witnesses see Anglesea cliff collapse

THERE were several beachside witnesses to a cliff collapse at Anglesea last month where large rocks, sandstone and debris fell from a height of up to ten metres.

Lesley Gillespie said she and her walking partner were within metres of the cliff when a section of it collapsed near Soapy Rocks, west of the surf club, on February 14.

“(A) large chunk of cliff came down right beside us. Fortunately, we were walking at the water’s edge but I’ve seen people sitting there before,” she said.

Rhonda Bradmore said she had been walking past the site half an hour before.

“I was on the main beach and looked up to see a big explosion of the cliff as it hit the sand,” she said.

The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority’s (GORCAPA) Caleb Hurrell thanked community members for raising the alarm shortly after the incident.

“Our rangers have checked the site and condition of warning signage in the area,” he said.

“We are reminding our communities to stay away from cliffs and caves as they can fall anytime without warning.”

GORCAPA has increased its warning signage in the area in recent months and ran a prominent cliff safety campaign in the lead up to, and during, the recent summer holiday period.