$20 million expansion plan for Parks Victoria’s Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary
Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary could be the Great Barrier Reef of Victoria if a marine group’s plan gets the green light. But they need big bucks to make it happen.
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Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary could be the Great Barrier Reef of Victoria if a marine group’s push to enhance and better protect it gets the green light.
The Beaumaris sanctuary was established by Parks Victoria in November 2002 to protect the rich marine life and unique local limestone reef system.
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It’s popular with researchers, school groups, locals and tourists for a range of activities including studying, swimming, sailing, snorkelling, photography and kayaking.
The Marine Education Science and Community Centre Inc (MESAC) wants the next state government to commit $15-20 million to extend the sanctuary 300m further out to sea and extend its north and south beach boundaries.
It also wants the Beaumaris Yacht Club, the Beaumaris Life Saving Club and the Ricketts Point Teahouse, all of which are within the sanctuary, to be upgraded.
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The group will also push for smoking and plastics to be banned.
MESAC spokeswoman Virginia Mosk said the next government had an “incredible” opportunity to leave a lasting legacy.
“The sanctuary with its rare reef system and unusual marine life is a hive of activity which needs to be protected,” she said.
Southern Ward councillor Clarke Martin said the first step in the sanctuary enhancement would be to inject $200,000 -$250,000 into the ageing yacht club.
“It would still be used by the community and the yacht club but we want it to be a cutting edge facility which can cater for school groups, researchers and tourists,” Cr Martin said.
“It will compliment the entire sanctuary which has the potential to be an internationally renowned part of the world like the Great Barrier Reef.”
The 3.2km sanctuary stretches between McGregor’s Rock in the north to Table Rock in the south and currently extends 500m out to sea at high tide.
It’s part of the Great Southern Reef, which contributes an estimated $10 billion to the Australian economy and is more diverse than the Great Barrier Reef.
Port Phillip Bay is also the only home of the Burrunan Dolphin discovered by Bayside scientist Dr Kate Charlton-Robb in 2011.
Cr Martin said Dr Charlton-Robb’s Marine Mammal Foundation — which works out of a Mentone industrial area — could be a permanent tenant of the upgraded Beaumaris Yacht Club.
He also envisioned Parks Victoria setting up a base at the facility for park rangers to provide part-time “research and compliance”.
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