Marengo and Apollo Bay beach renourishment works to begin

5th May 2017

Sand nourishment works at Marengo will begin Monday 8 May, to mitigate the accelerated beach and foreshore erosion evident over the past five years.

Up to 16,000 cubic metres of sand will be moved from Barham River spit to Mounts Bay, Marengo to provide an additional three metres of sand dune along 500 metres of beach to provide an immediate buffer from winter storms whilst promoting natural beach building processes.

DELWP Senior Environmental Planner Frances Northeast said: “Moving sand (sand carting) around Marengo and Apollo Bay beaches has been identified by coastal experts as a suitable erosion risk reduction management option.

“Sand is being placed at locations where community infrastructure and assets have been identified as most at risk to coastal hazards and erosion. Some nourishment of Apollo Bay beaches will occur and will compliment works undertaken at Cawood Street in 2016 in response to winter storms.

“The works will protect foreshore infrastructure including the Great Ocean walk path, public car parking, Barwon Water infrastructure and the Great Ocean Road foundation.

“It’s important that the community, cultural and natural environment interests are considered. These works have been planned to ensure that disruption to beach users and local wildlife is minimised.

“A Community Open House in March has ensured these works and our broader coastal management planning is in line with community expectations.“Further community consultation will be held once the sand nourishment works are completed and sand movement has been monitored,” Ms Northeast said.

Sand carting works will result in limited access along Marengo beach over a period of three weeks, due to truck movements along the beach. The Marengo toilet block was recently removed due to the impact of coastal erosion on the dune stability and the public safety and environmental risks posed by retaining the structure.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and the Otway Coast Committee, supported by Barwon Water, Colac Otway Shire, VicRoads and Parks Victoria are delivering $120,000 worth of works on local beaches.

For more information on the works and details on the Marengo to Wild Dog Creek Sand Management Plan 2017, call Frances Northeast (03) 5220 2020 or Anthony Alfirenko on (03) 5237 6577.