Demons Bluff closure upgraded to ‘permanent’ due to inevitable landslips

AFTER much discussion, it has been decided that a frequently visited section of the Anglesea coastline will be permanently closed at the risk of “inevitable” landslips.

The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority in partnership with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), and Parks Victoria have announced that the temporary beach closure at Demons Bluff, Anglesea will be made permanent.

The section of the coastline has been “temporarily” closed to the public since March, but after much deliberation the move to close it permanently has been made by the various bodies.

“This is a naturally occurring event happening right along our coastline,” said the authority’s acting director for Planning, Strategy and Transition, Paul Jane.

“We’re urging all beach users to remain on designated tracks and not walk below the cliffs,” he added.

An exclusion zone has been set from 100 metres north of the Anglesea Family Caravan Park beach access ramp to 300 metres past Grinders Point.

The authority has also installed fencing along the clifftop and is delivering revegetation programs to help reduce the risk to the public in these areas.

Permanent signage will be installed onsite to inform users of the exclusion zone, and several ongoing management actions will continue at the site.

This also includes the continued relocation of the Surf Coast Walk away from the cliff edge as erosion encroaches landward, regular geotechnical investigation and the ongoing monitoring including site visits, aerial imagery analysis and drone surveys.

“Many cliff areas along the Surf Coast, particularly between Jan Juc and Aireys Inlet, are susceptible to erosion and landslips,” DELWP regional manager Michael Noelker said back in March.

“These unpredictable events occur without warning and can have severe consequences for anyone on the beach below.”
The authority urges the community to always avoid the area for their own safety.

Alternatively, there are beaches nearby including Anglesea, Point Roadknight and Point Addis.