Project context
The Port Phillip Bay western shoreline is a unique part of the bay landscape with diverse marine and coastal values. These include Traditional Owner values and connection to country, internationally significant ecosystems such as Ramsar listed wetlands, parks and reserves, and a marine sanctuary.
The area is home to key facilities such as the Werribee agriculture precinct, Western Treatment Plant, oil refineries, Avalon Airport, and strategic national defence sites. It is also one of the fastest growing populations in Victoria.
Coastal hazards like erosion and flooding often impact the western shoreline. In the future, the region faces some of the highest risk for flooding of residential and industrial land across Victoria’s coast.
The Regional and Strategic Partnership (RASP)
The Port Phillip Bay Western Shoreline RASP has been established to respond to current and future coastal hazard impacts (including erosion, flooding and other hazards) across the region. The 10 RASP partners are:
- Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation
- Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation
- City of Greater Geelong
- Hobsons Bay City Council
- Wyndham City Council
- Melbourne Water
- Parks Victoria
- Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
- Department of Transport and Planning
- Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
Adapt West – Shaping our Shores is the project led by the RASP, that will deliver a Coastal Hazard Adaptation and Resilience Plan (CHARP) for the region.
The project extent includes all marine and coastal areas that may be impacted by coastal hazards from now to 2100+, from Greenwich Reserve in Williamstown to Limeburners Bay/Hovells Creek Estuary north of Geelong.
Adapt West - Shaping our Shores project extent
The Coastal Hazard Adaptation and Resilience Plan (CHARP)
The Adapt West CHARP ensures a shared understanding of the impacts of climate change on marine and coastal values, and provide long-term strategic guidance on management, decision making and investment.
The plan includes shared priority actions, roles and responsibilities, change management, triggers for review and a monitoring plan. The CHARP applies Victoria’s Resilient Coast framework and guidelines and uses the recent data and information from the Port Phillip Bay Coastal Hazard Assessment (PPBCHA.)
Project stages
| Stage | Purpose | Products | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1: Scoping and preparation | Refines the RASP’s purpose and the scope of the CHARP. | Project overview fact sheet | Stage completed 2023 |
| Traditional Owner Partnership | Traditional Owner partnership and cultural values assessment informing all stages of Adapt West. | Traditional Owner Cultural Values Assessments on Bunurong Country and Wadawurrung Country | Ongoing |
| Stage 2: Values, vision and objectives | Produce technical, engagement and strategic studies. | Engagement update 1 – values and experiences community engagementCommunity and social values assessment Ecological values assessment (PDF, 5.9 MB) Stage 2 Summary Report (including strategic vision statement) | Public consultation completed August 2024 Stage completed 2025 |
| Stage 3: Coastal hazard exposure | Assess the coastal landscapes, processes and drivers of change across the Adapt West region. | Stage 3 Summary report: Coastal hazard exposureCoastal hazard maps (PBBCHA/CoastKit)May 2025 project update fact sheet | Stage completed in 2025 |
| Stage 4: Vulnerability and risk | Estimate the coastal hazard risks to social, community, environmental and cultural values in the project area, and the expected financial costs of those impacts. | In progress | |
| Stage 5 and 6: Adaptation actions and pathways and CHARP | Develop adaptation actions and pathways to protect the values identified in Stage 2 and respond to the risks highlighted in Stages 3 and 4. Develop the Coastal Hazard Adaptation and Resilience Plan. | In progress | |
| Stage 7: Ongoing monitoring and review | Enable effective implementation of the CHARP through monitoring coastal hazard risk in the project area and reviewing action progress. | Active monitoring of selected sites through the Victorian Coastal Monitoring Program | Ongoing |
How to get involved
Head to Adapt West - Shaping our Shores on Engage Victoria to get involved
Page last updated: 23/10/26