Cliff collapse follows launch of public safety campaign

A LARGE section of the Demons Bluff cliff face has collapsed at Anglesea, just days after the coastal authority announced a safety campaign to warn beach users of increased risks along the coast.

The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA) said there had been three “significant” cliff collapses in a six-week period before the Demons Bluff incident, including Jan Juc, Jarosite and Anglesea west of the surf club.

There has been several slumps at Anglesea between the main beach and Point Roadknight in recent months, and the most recent at Jarosite was within metres of the location where a man in his 20s died on New Years Eve last year.

An exclusion zone on the beach beneath the cliffs around the area remains in place.

The beach beneath Demons Bluff was permanently closed by Parks Victoria and GORCAPA in September 2021 due to the risk of ongoing cliff collapses, and preceded a large fall there in January this year.

“While there is much to be excited about for the coming months, we want people to be safe when enjoying our coast this summer,” GORCAPA chief executive officer Jodie Sizer said.

The authority’s new awareness campaign includes additional warning signs being installed along known hotspots on the coast, relocating walking tracks and fencing on clifftops to keep users away from unstable edges, and ongoing monitoring using aerial imagery and drone surveys along with regular site visits.

“We’re asking everyone to keep safe by following the campaign’s four simple steps – steer clear of risky areas, stick to established tracks, follow the signs, and spread the word,” Ms Sizer said.