A REPORT on the dangers of rising sea levels in Port Phillip Bay should be a call to action, Kingston mayor Jenna Davey-Burns says.
The Port Phillip Bay Coastal Hazard Assessment was released earlier this month. The report assessed the damage that rising sea levels could have around Port Phillip by 2100.
In the Kingston Council area, the Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands between Mordialloc Creek and Patterson River has been identified as an area at most risk. The CSIRO report measured potential damage if sea levels rose by up to 1.4 metres (“Rising sea threatens coastline” The News 15/1/24).
Last week Kingston mayor Jenna Davey-Burns said that the report would help all levels of government better understand the growing dangers of climate change. “Sea level rise is an obvious and serious threat to our beautiful foreshore, and we have already been very busy in this space. Importantly, this report will allow us to understand more about the complex coastal processes of Port Phillip Bay,” she said. “With the release of this report I join the call for the state government to now step up and do their part and swiftly amend planning schemes to ensure they accurately reflect the known risks. There must be a whole of state response and that requires leadership to ensure a consistent approach is taken.
“Among the work we have already done to improve our climate resilience along the foreshore is the installation of a rock abutment in Carrum, major geotextile barriers in Aspendale, and a variety of other reinforced vegetation barriers as part of stormwater treatment swales and constructed large stormwater outlets in Mentone and Parkdale. The recently constructed lifesaving and yacht clubs have been designed to allow for the future climate and coastal processes.”
The CSIRO report read that in the Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands between Mordialloc Creek and Patterson River, that “existing coastal protection structures would not be effective for 1.4 metre sea level rise”. The report also identified the coastline and Patterson Lakes as areas of concern.
To read the full report visit marineandcoasts.vic.gov.au.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 24 January 2024