Sandringham Foreshore Association Newsletter Spring 2014 SANDRINGHAM FORESHORE ASSOCIATION (SFA) Founded January 2007 ABN 42947116512 A CHARITABLE NOT FOR PROFIT VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION SFA PO Box 52 Sandringham 3191 E-mail: sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au From the president of SFA, Dr Vicki Karalis

Welcome to the spring edition of the SFA newsletter! Moving forward for Sandringham beach - thank you to Department of Environment and Planning Industry (DEPI) and Bayside City Council (BCC) We are extremely grateful to Travis Dowling, our local Council, Mayor Laurie Evans, Councillors, Simon Finlay of BCC and Sally Patterson of DEPI, for their ongoing interest and support in our efforts to help protect the beaches of Sandringham from erosion especially at times of storms, particularly in summer-autumn and in spring.

We are honoured to be moving forward with modelling and costing studies to do what is best for our beach. We want to get it truly right, using a scientific approach. We have invited Sally Patterson, Program Manager of Coastal Projects DEPI, to describe for us the proposed plans. We sincerely thank Sally for all her efforts! Below is a delightful photo of Sally taking a ‘selfie’ on a beautiful pristine coastline and she provides for us an outline of the proposed coastal studies for the Sandringham beaches.

Sally Patterson | Program Manager Coastal Projects | Port Phillip Region

Regional Services | Department of Environment and Primary Industries

Sally  describes  the  coastal  studies  proposed  for  Sandringham’s  Beaches:

The Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) is currently in the process of short-listing a suitable coastal engineer to undertake a scoping study of sand management options for Sandringham beach. The aim of the study is to review in detail the 3 management options identified by key stakeholders (including the Sandringham Foreshore Association), in February 2014. The study is expected to take approximately 8-10 weeks and will review in detail the effectiveness of each option taking into consideration, these being (relative to the study proposals below); Beach renourishment at Edward St, modification of the Southey Street groyne, and the construction of a groyne at Picnic Point. 1. Technical soundness (how much sand will move in accordance with the wind and wave movements, beach profile).

2. Key risks (impact of failure, public safety risks, consistency of protection, community adverse impacts, cliff stability, scouring effect).

3. Value for money (consider a balance between capital cost, ongoing costs, and maintenance costs).

4. Estimated costs and timing (to design, construct and maintain).

5. Environmental Impacts (Impact on environmental quality, social amenity and ecology).

6. Constructability and methodology (Details of how the structure or renourishment will be built in the existing conditions in consideration for contractor safety and well being).

7. Estimated design life of each option: Sandringham beach is an important asset for both DEPI and the wider community and it is important the most effective sand management options are identified. DEPI, in partnership with Bayside City Council, is looking forward to working with its key stakeholders and using their local knowledge to ensure an accurate and insightful report. DEPI will provide an update once the contractor has been nominated and the project underway

SFA's main focus has been protecting and sustaining our local environment; the cliffs, dunes and beaches, including re-vegetation, to create a natural fauna & flora habitat – a wildlife corridor for future generations to enjoy. We have also emphasised and highlighted the importance of protecting the following:

x Fossils: there are many fossils embedded in the rocks along our coastline from Brighton to Beaumaris that are over 5 and even up to 12 million years old. The Beaumaris Fossil Heritage site is a precious site that needs absolute protection. SFA oppose any proposals to expand the Beaumaris Yacht squadron.

x Indigenous sites: there are multiple Indigenous Aboriginal sites along our coastline from Brighton to Beaumaris (e.g. coastal middens). They need high quality interpretation of early Aboriginal use of the sites, and flora and fauna, in consultation with relevant Aboriginal groups.

x Cliffs: rock geology and landscape sites unique to the Bayside area from

Brighton to Beaumaris; to minimize erosion of cliffs and beaches by protecting the base of cliffs from wave action and diverting surface run- off and drainage, and monitoring the entire Bayside coastline to protect identified erosion when and where needed.

x Landscape: conservation and protection of cliff structure and macro-environment, and protecting landscape value.

x Marine life: the protection of our reefs and marine life identified within the Brighton-Beaumaris  area,  especially  at  Rickett’s  Point  Marine  Sanctuary.

x Dune restoration and protection: as required along the entirety of the

Bayside coastline.

x Beach re-nourishment: we emphasise the importance of programs and monitoring of beach erosion within the entire Bayside coastline, for protection of our cliffs and community enjoyment.

x Weed control and re-vegetation: as required for entire cliffs to help

reduce erosion; low lying native vegetation and grasses in areas of beach views along Beach Rd as relevant.

x Beach cleaning: improve beach cleaning, especially after storm surges,

which accelerate and increase rubbish accumulated from identified sources, such as the Yarra River and local storm drainage outlets, high- activity beach use (busy summer days) and local garden refuse.

Beach cleaning Have you noticed our beaches are cleaner? Many thanks to Victoria Perkins and the community efforts of 3191 Beach Patrol; our beaches are looking exceptionally cleaner. Please see details below for the next event. We would love your assistance in joining Victoria. Beaumaris Fossil Heritage site Environmental Effects Statement (EES) for proposed expansion of the Safe Harbour and Marina Beaumaris Motor Yacht Squadron (BMYS) Through our SFA membership, we have learned that a growing number of our local and international community of residents, researchers, paleontologists and scientists are feeling unease over the proposed expansion of the BMYS, situated directly on an internationally significant fossil site. Expansion and development of the BMYS will affect ongoing research of fossils in this area. Fossils including 4-10 million year old shark-teeth (amongst other flora and fauna) are unique to this site, which occur in the sea bed, on the beach and in a layer  of  rock  near  to  the  water’s  edge,  and  is  precariously situated within 25 kilometers of the Melbourne CBD.

We appreciate that the current BMYS is providing a service to the local fishermen and access for community emergency services. We value their efforts in putting an EES together. However, we feel that the needs of these user-groups are far outweighed when compared to the significance of the fossil heritage site; in view of the large and growing number in the community – including the international scientific community – who now oppose any further expansion of the club, on the basis that the fossil site may be damaged and lost. Additionally, we are concerned about the loss of landscape value and aesthetics. A well known painting by Tom Roberts titled ‘Slumbering Sea’ is currently displayed at the National Gallery of Victoria. It highlights the beauty of the Beaumaris cliffs and coastline before the BMYC was built. Expansion of the BMYS will effectively destroy the landscape as depicted in our visual art heritage. According to a report by Celeste Ward, a RMIT honours student under the supervision of Professor John Buckeridge, the proposed marina may result in degradation of Mentone Beach, by loss of sand. It may also result in degradation of the adjacent Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary, affecting water quality in the Bay, and consequently, flora and fauna. The Beaumaris Bay Fossil Site, together with the adjacent Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary, has the potential – through volunteer and business ventures – for ecotourism, which could be linked to Melbourne Conventions and overseas visitors. The site is within easy reach of the city, and is of interest to the whole of the community and scientists - nationally and internationally. The following stakeholders met with DEPI to express our concerns and objections to the expansion as we care and want to protect the fossil site to the utmost degree. In the photo (over page), from left to right, we have: 1. Travis Dowling of DEPI 2. Bob Whiteway, Black Rock Sandringham Conservation Association (BRASCA) 3. Professor John Buckeridge, RMIT 4. Walter Grahame, Mordialloc Beaumaris Conservation League 5. Ron Morris, President of Beaumaris Conservation Society 6. Nicola Prior of DEPI 7. Dr Peter Prager local resident of Beaumaris 8. Dr Vicki Karalis of SFA

Photo by Laurie Evans, Mayor of Bayside City Council. Absent were Dr Shirley Prager, and Yolanta of the Marine Care Ricketts Point Sanctuary.

Interesting web links about the Beaumaris Fossil site: Australian Government, Department of the Environment http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;place_id=18053 Beaumaris Cliffs 2 (Yacht Squadron) - Fossil Site http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/portregn.nsf/pages/port_lf_sig_sites_beaumaris2 VEAC (Victorian Environmental Assessment Council) Metropolitan Melbourne Study 2008/9 Sites of Geological and Geomorphological Significance on Public Land. Final Report May 2009 http://www.veac.vic.gov.au/reports/VEAC_MetroMelb_GeolGeom_Final_Report09.pdf http://www.veac.vic.gov.au/reports/VEAC_MetroMelb_GeolGeom_Final_Report09.pdf When the fossil of a Pelagornis bone was found at Beaumaris Bay Fossil Site, it was established for the first time that the Pelagornis, a gigantic seabird flew over Australia 65 million years ago: http://scienceillustrated.com.au/blog/science/news/gigantic-seabirds-once-glided-over-the-australian-coast/ http://blog.everythingdinosaur.co.uk/blog/_archives/2012/06/27/giant-toothed-birds-once-soared-over-australia.html Ter, P.C. & Buckeridge, J.St.J.S. 2012. Ophiomorpha beaumarisensis isp. nov., a trace fossil from the late Neogene Beaumaris Sandstone is the burrow of a thalassinidean lobster. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 124(3): 223-231. ISSN 0035-9211. http://www.beaumarisconservation.net/ter_buckeridge_beaumaris_sandstone.pdf

The Sydney Morning Herald. Beaumaris fossil sheds light on ancient seals. (December 28, 2013, by Bridie Smith). http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/beaumaris-fossil-sheds-light-on-ancient-seals-20131227-2zzqr.html Erich M. G. Fitzgerald, Travis Park & Trevor H. Worthy. First giant bony-toothed bird (Pelagornithidae) from Australia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology Volume 32, Issue 4, 2012 pages 971-974 DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2012.664596 http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2012.664596#tabModule http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/23251287?uid=3737536&uid=2460338175&uid=2460337935&uid=2&uid=4&uid=83&uid=63&sid=21104506339313 Louchart A, Sire J-Y, Mourer-Chauvire C, Geraads D, Viriot L, et al. (2013) Structure and Growth Pattern of Pseudoteeth in Pelagornis mauretanicus (Aves, Odontopterygiformes, Pelagornithidae). PLoS ONE 8(11): e80372. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0080372

http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchObject.action?uri=info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0080372&representation=PDF

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0080372 Australian Geographic. Giant bony-toothed bird fossil found. By Tiffany Hoy, June 29, 2012A bizarre bony-toothed, giant bird fossil, with a 5m wingspan, has been discovered in Victoria. http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2012/06/giant-bony-toothed-bird-fossil-found/ Fossil images at Sandringham beach and Beaumaris Bay Congratulations Professor John Buckeridge on being appointed International Council for Science earlier this month!!

Professor John Buckeridge is Professor of Natural Resources Engineering at RMIT University, Melbourne. He is Past President of the International Union of Biological Sciences, President Emeritus of the International Society of Zoological Sciences, Honorary professor of Engineering Ethics at Wismar University of Business, Technology and Design (Germany) and an Honorary Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Publications exceed 300 – in professional ethics, environmental impact assessment, geotechnology, and the palaeobiology, evolution and distribution of marine invertebrates.

The SFA were privileged to walk with Professor Buckeridge along the Sandringham cliffs last year to help identify some of the fossils and at the Beaumaris Bay earlier this year to view the numerous fossils, particularly diverse and abundant at Beaumaris Bay. Fossils at Sandringham beach We discovered a fossilised tree and many fossils of the ichnofossil, a series of burrows at Sandringham beaches. These fossils can also be found in the Beaumaris sandstone situated at Brighton and Black Rock beaches.

Ophiomorpha beaumarisensis - note burrows imprinted within iron rich local “Beaumaris  sandstone”  – formerly  known  as  “Black  Rock  sandstone”.

Ophiomorpha beaumarisensis (Karalis, Sandringham cliffs)

Note burrows in stone:

(Karalis Sandringham cliffs)

Petrified tree trunk embedded in stone

(Karalis Sandringham cliffs)

(Karalis Sandringham cliffs)

Fossils at Beaumaris Bay Professor Buckeridge says there needs to be recognition of the geological importance of the site - both for Australia and internationally. It is the place where important vertebrates (e.g. marsupials, birds, seals) are first recorded. Much of the remains are found on the seabed. These fossils are derived from both cliff erosion and seafloor erosion. There are also invertebrates there that are known from nowhere else in the world (e.g. barnacles) and other invertebrates that have their most diverse preservation at this site (e.g. heart urchins and "mud crab" burrows). There are also whales, fish and molluscs within the Beaumaris Sandstone.

Lovenia woodsii (Buckeridge Beaumaris Bay)

Ophiomorpha beaumarinsensis (Buckeridge Beaumaris Bay)

Tree cast

(Buckeridge Beaumaris Bay)

Shark teeth found at Beaumaris Bay

(Karalis Beaumaris Bay)

Can you spot the fossil?

Hardground horizon in Beaumaris sandstone

(Buckeridge Beaumaris Bay)

Professor John Buckeridge points to a layer of fossils embedded deep and at the base of the 15 metre high Beaumaris cliffs

(Karalis Beaumaris Bay)

A closer look at the shells

(Karalis Beaumaris Bay)

Fyansford fossils below Beaumaris sandstone

(Buckeridge Beaumaris Bay)

Bivalve in Fyansford fossil

(Buckeridge Beaumaris Bay)

Flabellum fossil

(Buckeridge Beaumaris Bay)

Austromegabalanus victoriensis

(Buckeridge Beaumaris Bay)

Bergaueria Beaumaris sandstone

(Buckeridge Beaumaris Bay) These are interpreted as a series of fossil sea anemones. As they have no skeletal material, their preservation is very special.

To our knowledge these are the only known examples from the Cainozoic of Australia. They are known (although they are very rare), from the Ediacara Formation in South Australia which is about 600 Million years old.

These photos (thanks to Vicki and Professor Buckeridge) are useful examples of what you can  find  when  you  learn  to  identify  and  start  to  recognise  what  you’re  looking  for  – make your next beach-walk a fossil-hunt! – Ed....... Although we would love you to donate your unique fossils for research and education! vk

The winter edition of the SFA newsletter created a huge response amongst members. Here is one response: Response from Ross Chandler M.Env.Sc. , Managing Director Biosol A resident of Beaumaris since 1972, Ross is an environmental scientist, working on microbial control in wastewater systems (sewer odour & corrosion control). Biosol is the first in the world to commercialise technology that can change the state of bacteria from a feeding form (floc / biofilm) to a non feeding (single cell planktonic form) and back again. The technology is commercialised under Biosol.

"Factors increasing storm intensity and beach loss:

x Climate change increases storm intensity; wind speed and direction has caused the sea level to rise. Both these factors increase erosion.

x Water flow at the heads, blasting the heads and deepening the channel has increased water flow into and out of the bay. This was modelled in the 1960's by the State Rivers and Water Supply with a full scale model of the bay at Werribee. The beach erosion evident from the model, was the reason Sir Henry Bolte didn't proceed with blasting the heads but established the Port of Hastings."

3191 BEACH PATROL working together to clean Sandringham Beach and Bay!

Next 3191 Beach Patrol - Sunday 28 September.

Meeting Point: Jetty Road car park, above the yacht club. We will focus on the northern end of Sandringham Beach.

Start Time: 9am

____________________________________________________________ Release of the Victorian Coastal Council Strategy We are pleased to announce the release of the Victorian Coastal Strategy 2014 (VCS) by the State Government this week. The VCS is the Government's policy commitment for coastal, estuarine and marine environments in Victoria. The VCS 2014 builds on the achievements of previous three iterations of the Strategy and addresses five key issues: Managing population growth

2. Adapting to a changing climate

3. Managing coastal land and infrastructure

4. Valuing the natural environment, and

5. Integrating marine planning.

The full document is now live on our website so please visit http://www.vcc.vic.gov.au/page/victorian-coastal-strategy-2014 to download or call the Victorian Coastal Council on phone 9637 8893 for a copy.

Educating our future generations Did you know that Vicki Karalis often gives talks for a number of Victorian school children? She does this on a voluntary basis and asks the school to donate to a local non-profit environmental organisation. On this occasion she taught St Leonard's College students at Sandringham beach; they were fun, engaging and interested. The College kindly donated $200 to the Marine Sanctuary at Rickett's Point. St Leonard's College Year 9 students learning about cliffs, coastal erosion, coastal processes and fossils 24th July 2014

The Winning of the Ricketts Point Sanctuary

Bob Whiteway OAM profile: Pioneer; how he helped protect Rickett's Point marine sanctuary

Biography High School teacher, Bob Whiteway, taught his students about the local marine life by taking them down under, but that was undermined. The shellfish poachers were just too many and the ecosystem started to unravel. So between 1984 and 1994 Bob took the following action: * Wrote a booklet on marine life of the coastal fringe * Produced a documentary on coastal marine life * Conducted an 8-year local newspaper campaign to stop the poaching * Gained support of the local Council and police * Attracted the help of MP Murray Thompson * Made the Ricketts Pt Submission for a sanctuary, to the State Government Then followed a complex, roller-coaster political campaign lasting a further 8 years. Ricketts Point finally won the battle and was declared a Sanctuary in 2002. Many individuals and groups joined the campaign along the way, including the Greens, the mainstream political parties, the VNPA, CoastAction/Coast Care, the Bayside Council, BRASCA and many others.

Some pointers for fighting conservation battles

1. Detect the problem 2. Establish clear goals 3. Identify arguments for the cause – for example, soothing passive

recreation, part of art trail, unique coastal scenery, scientific values. 4. Getting the public on-side – public meetings, letter drops, attracting

media coverage, posters, signs, protest rallies and marches, publications (leaflets, pamphlets, booklets, etc.) videos and DVDs.

5. Lobbying politicians – letters, personal visits, phone and email contact, making submissions, petitions, attending parliament and Council meetings, etc.

6. Dialogue with Govt. Agencies eg, DEPI and staff. 7. Technical research – including legal, engineering, academic and other

expertise that might support the cause. 8. Joining forces – with like minded organizations, perhaps gaining their

support in letter campaigns, etc . I think VNPA has around 1500 members, for example.

9. Opposition – Discover its activities, aims and arguments, etc. 10. Keep dialogue channels open. Determine arguments of the opposition.

Look for weaknesses and back any criticism with expert opinion &/or strong arguments

A few match box philosophies In a democracy, beware the power of the populous:

1. Make the venture fun 2. Think imaginatively 3. Persevere  …  until  you  win 4. Stay positive 5. Fundraise - it can attract supporters as well as money. 6. Keep the overall objective before you. (I think our overall objective

might turn out to be to show that our proposed resource-use serves more of the community and at a deeper level than that offered by the

BMYS.  (Really  I  think  they  might  be  just  ‘boys  with  toys’  much  of  the  

time). 7. Hold every assertion up for scrutiny – theirs and ours. 8. Pure gold = an on-side Councillor and an on-side State MP. 9. Remember to thank everyone

And  don’t  forget  that  politicians  don’t  like  sticking  their  neck  out.

Truly understanding match box philosophy no. 1 (above) is, beyond all the other  philosophies  … the way to win conservation battles Historical photos of Beaumaris Bay before construction of the BMYS -note vertical cliffs of the Beaumaris sandstone (filled with fossils) and the rocky beaches which makes this area unique

Historical paintings of Beaumaris bay

Tom Roberts, Slumbering Sea

BEACH RD, BEAUMARIS 1905

BEACH RD, BEAUMARIS 1905

ID: 19880 Copyright: library does not own image (image on public access) Org ID: 1unsroad2

Description: Coloured photograph, 11.5 x 18cm. Beach Road near present day Surf Avenue looking south towards Haydens Road. The two children on the right are standing between the rails of the horse tram track. Subject: unsealed roads.

http://www.picturevictoria.vic.gov.au/site/bayside/Beaumaris/19880.html

A couple of visitors at our beaches…

https://www.facebook.com/Dailybay?hc_location=timeline

Daily Bay, Sandringham Beach 30 June 2014

Daily Bay, Half Moon Bay 3rd July 2014

Have your say or read comments about the Beaumaris Fossil Heritage site on Change.org and Facebook: http://www.change.org/p/parliament-of-victoria-bayside-and-kingston-local-councils-reject-the-proposal-by-beaumaris-motor-yacht-squadron-for-a-marina-in-beaumaris-bay?utm_source=guides&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_created https://www.facebook.com/pages/NO-marina-for-Beaumaris-Bay/609246705862722

We hope you have enjoyed reading the spring edition of the SFA newsletter.

Yours with kindness, Dr Vicki Karalis, SFA President SFA committee members: Alison Horton, Vice-President Adrienne Smith, Secretary Craig Francis, Treasurer Ike Solomon, Engineer Helen Gibson, Geologist Paul Hede, Architect Laurie Evans, Architect and Mayor of Bayside City Council Editors: Cristian Silver & Helen Gibson Vicki Karalis sincerely thanks Cristian for a superb job of editing and designing this wonderful newsletter!