All the swells still at Portsea

June 2015

We are still keeping an eye on the Bay, and all the argy bargy about where to put another container port. More on that later. For now we want to tell you about massive erosion that has occured in the south of the Bay.

Since recent storms, there has been significant unprecedented erosion in several locations.

Yes, we know erosion happens everywhere, and that coastlines come and go. The difference now is that the coastline has gone but it has not come back, and government has rushed in to spend millions of dollars of taxpayers money in vain attempts to hold back the sea.

Most people agree that lately erosion has become more obvious, and nowhere more so than at Portsea pier, since The Rip at the entrance to the Bay was deepened during the Channel Deepening project when approx. one million tonnes of rocky reef was removed from the Entrance.

Does it seem elementary that deepening this treacherous and narrow underwater canyon might make some difference to how water moves in and out of the Bay?


Since the Channel Deepening project ended in 2009, an ocean like swell started pounding Portsea front beach, and successive state governments have spent millions of dollars in various unsuccessful efforts to save the beach. It is accepted science that hardening up the coastline with seawalls and sandbags might save the land behind it, but the soft sandy shoreline will likely be lost.

These May 2015 images, provided by Josh Clark from Dive Victoria show how the massive sandbag wall, itself now under attack, has just moved the erosion problem further east along the beach. We have spent millions of dollars and stlll no closer to saving Portsea beach.


4 metres of dune height lost and mature trees about to topple May 2015

Mature trees ready to topple and stairway near Portsea Pub May 2015

Collapsing sandbag wall under temporary steps to Portsea Pub. May 2015

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....and at Whitecliffs near Rye. May 2015 Image SP News



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