Bellarine beach renourishments

Sections of the Bellarine Peninsula are experiencing erosion due to natural processes, storms and climate change, with impacts on foreshore assets and recreational values.

The following Bellarine beaches were selected for renourishment works following an independent assessment of Port Phillip Bay in 2019.

• Indented Head, Taylor Reserve
• Indented Head, Wrathall Reserve
• St Leonards North
• St Leonards
• St Leonards South

The sand renourishments will provide an immediate buffer to storms and rising sea levels, safeguarding key assets and infrastructure along the coastline.

The sand deposited at the sites will naturally shift over time, moving along and around the Bellarine coastline, increasing the width of beaches and providing foreshore protection.

We’ll be conducting ongoing work to protect these vulnerable sections of coastline and the nearby infrastructure. The Bellarine Beach Renourishment Program includes a strategy to monitor, maintain and renew sand supplies at Bellarine beaches for the next 10 to 15 years.

Community Consultation

In 2020, we undertook community consultation to ensure that the location of the upcoming beach renourishment works on the Bellarine Peninsula reflected community priorities.

Residents were invited to help guide decisions on which specific sites within selected beaches would undergo beach renourishment.

The community also shared preferences around the type of sand and structures that could be used in the works.

The summary of feedback can be viewed here:

Bellarine Beach Renourishments What We Heard (PDF, 794.2 KB)
Bellarine Beach Renourishments What We Heard (DOCX, 742.5 KB)

The feedback was provided to coastal engineers who incorporated it into the planning and design of the beach renourishments.

Timeline

Community Consultation

June 2020

Planning & Design

July 2020 onwards

Sand renourishment at Indented Head, Taylor Reserve

Late 2020

Sand renourishment at Indented Head, Wrathall Reserve

Mid 2021

Sand renourishment at St Leonards sites

Mid 2021 to mid 2022

DELWP Fact Sheet available here:

Beach  renourishments to begin at  St Leonards (PDF, 708.6 KB)
Beach  renourishments to begin at  St Leonards (DOCX, 1.5 MB)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the timeline for the beach renourishment works?

The works began in late 2020 and are expected to be completed in 2021.

Will beaches close during the beach renourishment works?

It’s likely that some of the sites will need to be temporarily closed for public safety while plant and machinery are operating.

Works will be planned to ensure the least possible disruption to beach access, and where possible will not occur during peak periods of visitation such as school holidays.

If new sand is added to beaches, where will it come from?

Sand may be sourced from land-based sources such as quarries, or it may be pumped ashore from offshore marine sources with excess sand.

Any new sand brought in during the works will match existing beach sand in appearance, grain size and texture.

Will other beaches on the Bellarine be renourished?

The immediate priority for renourishment are the sites around St Leonards and Indented Heads. Once beach renourishment works have been completed at these locations and other priority sites around Port Philip Bay, other sites will be assessed for renourishment.

Where can I get more information?

More information about the Victoria Government’s $8 million Port Phillip Bay Beaches Renourishment program can be found here. Please email marine.coasts@delwp.vic.gov.au if you have any questions or would like more information about a specific part of the upcoming Bellarine renourishment works.