Cliff collapses in Anglesea

The incident occurred at Demons Bluff on the east side of Anglesea.

Great Ocean Road Coast Committee (GORCC) acting Coastal Reserves manager Evan Francis urged people to be careful with where they walk.

“Visitors can assist by staying on designated tracks and not walking below cliffs, especially at higher tides”.

GORCC also advises that many cliffs are unstable, particularly in between Jan Juc and Point Roadknight.

Although coastal erosion is a natural process, collapses such as the one at Demons Bluff are often more common when the weather is hot as the cliffs become drier, which in turn causes cracks and fractures to break out.

The fallen rocks will not be moved as they will now help stabilise the lower parts of the cliff. People are advised not to climb on these rocks or walk under undercut cliffs to ensure their own safety.

In 2016, about 400 metres of the Surf Coast Walk at Demons Bluff was rerouted by GORCC after an engineer showed there were cracks in the side of the cliff that could be a potential safety hazard.

The following year, a raised boardwalk set back from the cliffs was built across the heathlands to ensure the protection of vegetation.

Cliffs are continuing to be monitored to inform any similar actions in the future.