Great needs: At least $10m for Great Ocean Road climate adaptation works

THE Great Ocean Road will receive at least $10 million of state government funding to help it adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Part of a wider package of $27 million in the 2022/23 Budget, the $10 million will go towards land reforms, hazard assessments and erosion protection along the Great Ocean Road to ensure the internationally famous visitor destination can continue to be safe and accessible into the future.

There is a further $16.9 million to deliver the state government’s Marine and Coastal Strategy, which will build resilience in Victoria’s marine and coastal areas.

This includes $7.7 million to repair and maintain coastal assets such as coastal protection works at Eastern View on the Great Ocean Road, as well as repair works for the seawall at Lakes Entrance’s Bullock Island, address public safety risk at Loch Sport and maintenance of the Dutton Way and public safety risks at Portland Cliffs.

The Aireys Inlet and District Association (AIDA), a community organisation covering the coastal strip passing through Aireys Inlet as well as in Eastern View, Moggs Creek, Fairhaven and Urquhart Bluff, has run recent webinars on climate change and coastal erosion for its members and the community, and continues to follow the issue closely.

“AIDA is pleased there is additional funding for erosion protection along the Great Ocean Road but would not welcome intrusive works such as sea walls,” AIDA president Charlotte Allen said earlier this week.

“Any works need to prioritise protection of the coastline as a whole, not just preservation of particular sections of the road.

“Proposed works will require in-depth environmental analysis.”

In line with the Marine and Coastal Strategy, $3.8 million has been earmarked for community resilience initiatives such as supporting Traditional Owners in marine and coastal management, mapping blue carbon potential, and building Victoria’s first marine spatial planning framework to balance the needs of different marine uses.

There is $1 million for Coastcare Victoria and community stewardship activities, helping volunteers to respond to climate change and $1 million in Coastal Public Access and Risk grants program for land managers to address coastal protection issues.

“Victoria’s coastline is facing significant climate challenges and that’s why we’re supporting this work to protect it while continuing to improve access to our spectacular coast,” Minister for Environment and Climate Action Lily D’Ambrosio said last week.

“Protecting our marine and coastal environments is not a quick fix, and we’re planning ahead to ensure the works we do now will last for generations to come.”

Released this year, the Marine and Coastal Strategy was developed with input from Traditional Owners, the Victorian Marine and

Coastal Council, marine and coastal managers, communities and interest groups.

“Adapting to impacts of climate change” is the third of six actions in the strategy.

Labor says it has spent more than $93 million on protecting Victoria’s coastline since 2014.