Fears long delays to replace sandbag wall at Portsea Beach will ruin another summer
Nearly halfway through 2020, Portsea’s badly eroded front beach is still clogged with old sandbags and bulldozers, with frustrated locals demanding the government fast-track alternative solutions. So is there any chance the beach will reopen by summer?
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Controversial work on the sandbag wall at Portsea beach is months behind schedule and locals fear it will ruin a second summer.
Rod North, who has started a petition to stop the work and seek an alternative solution, said the most recent update on the project revealed that it was only 25 per cent complete.
“This work started back in October last year,” he said.
“Here we are in May, heading towards winter and all the problems that will create for the workers, and we’re not even half way there.”
However, the Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) told the Leader the project was 50 per cent finished and was on track to meet a June deadline.
The $2.5 million initiative aimed to replace the sandbag wall which was erected a decade ago as a buffer between Portsea pub and clifftop houses, and the advancing sea.
The project closed part of Portsea front beach over summer and was slammed by locals as a multimillion-dollar, ugly “band aid”.
It was initially expected to be completed by the end of the past summer but in early February that date was pushed back to March.
A DELWP update published on the Mornington Peninsula Council website revealed that by late April, just 25 per cent of the sandbags had been replaced.
The update did not provide an expected completion date.
DELWP Port Phillip regional director Stephen Chapple told the Leader on May 9 the work had a June finish date.
“At the beginning of 2020, the timeline was readjusted with the expectation of a June completion,” Mr Chapple said.
“This change was based on community feedback requesting works to be stopped for six weeks over summer and additional works required on the temporary rock bund.”
He said the works were progressing with delivery of new sandbags and removal of the old bags “well under way”.
“Approximately 50 per cent of the sandbag wall repairs are now complete,” he said.
However, Mr North said it was time to accept the beach would never return to its former glory and find an alternative solution.
He suggested removing the sandbag wall and replacing it with a rock pool – similar to one at Bondi Beach in Sydney.
“It would look so much better than what we have now, we could use the beach again and it would also act as protection for the cliffs,” he said.
Mornington Peninsula Mayor Sam Hearn said the council and DELWP had “finally” agreed on a plan that would restore the beach.
Late last year the council revealed it had been working with DELWP, scientists and David Kramer from the Futurefish Foundation on the plan.
MORE NEWS
CALL FOR CONSTRUCTION LED RECOVERY ON PENINSULA
HOW TO BEAT THE BOOZE DURING LOCKDOWN
ANGER OVER “UNFAIR” PLAN FOR BEACH BOX OWNERS
In a written statement, Mornington Peninsula chief executive John Baker said the preferred option involved dredging to “move a significant amount of sand in an area offshore from Portsea to reduce wave action and sand movement”.
Cr Hearn said it was now a matter of waiting for State Government funding for the work.
He acknowledged the financial fallout from the coronavirus pandemic may limit the money available for some projects.
“The State Government is preparing to roll out a big economic package to kickstart the recovery from COVID-19,” Cr Hearn said.
“It’s too early to say which projects will be prioritised and if Portsea front beach will be one of them.”