Mr Graeme Disney OAM, JP Dr Eric Bird observing the Bayside coastline

A word from Dr Vicki Karalis AM, President SFA

The recent loss of two Bayside champions

Vale Associate Professor Eric Charles Frederic Bird and Mr Graeme Disney OAM

On behalf of the Sandringham Foreshore Association, we are saddened to hear of the loss of two local
Bayside champions: A/Professor Eric Bird, an internationally acclaimed coastal geomorphologist and Mr
Graeme Disney OAM, JP and historian.

We were privileged to know and work with both A/Professor Bird and Mr Disney. Both were remarkable
men and immensely generous in sharing their wisdom and expertise. They are incredibly well-known
figures for their services to the community of Sandringham, and contributing to a range of local
government and community coastal issues.

Associate Professor [Dr] Eric Bird, an esteemed academic and educator as Senior Lecturer and Fellow
at Melbourne University, wrote the definitive textbooks on the Victorian and Bayside coastlines. For
example, see link of a copy of one of his textbooks on coastal geomorphology here:
https://handoutset.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Coastal-Geomorphology-An-Introduction-Eric-Bird-
.pdf

The image above to the right shows Dr Bird observing the Bayside coastline. He was always happy to
share his expertise and knowledge of the coastline, and was often used as an expert by state authorities
such as Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action [DEECA, formerly DELWP].

Mr Graeme Disney OAM, an extraordinary person and mentor, gave so much to our local community. He
is a great Australian and an inspiration to many people. We are grateful and honored to have known Mr
Disney who was a reliable and generous authority, whom we could talk to about Bayside matters – we
trusted his wisdom, judgement and insight and shared his love for the beaches.

Both will be missed.

Our sincere and deepest condolences are extended to their families.

Read below honorable tributes by our former and current MPs for Sandringham:

Associate Professor Eric Bird

An honorable message by Murray Thompson, former MP for Sandringham:
"Eric was a great Australian and a long-term Black Rock resident. He was an extraordinary person with
whom to converse on both global and local coastal and geomorphological matters. His judgement and
insight influenced public policy outcomes. Together with his wife Juliet they inspired generations of
students they taught, strengthened academic frameworks and contributed to a greater understanding of
the natural world."

Graeme Disney OAM

An honorable message by Brad Rowswell, MP, Member for Sandringham:
"A founding father of the City of Bayside, inaugural Mayor, great raconteur, student of Engineering and
Theology, Sandringham Yacht Club Chaplain, co-author of Bayside Reflections; district Newsagent with a
thousand stories; Recipient of Centenary Medal and OAM for services to Local Government, Local
History, Yachting and the Church; member of the Central Coastal Board. Graeme brought a grass roots
understanding of local viewpoints, wisdom, goodwill and good humour to his many and multifaceted
community contributions. He will be immortalised in the minds and memories of those who were privileged
to have known him and worked alongside him. Condolences to his wife Dorothy, his children Chris, Nick
and Tim and their families."

Jet ski update

A brief update regarding our Jet ski concerns in Port Phillip Bay:

1. We have been working hard in the background with representatives from the Rye Community
Group Alliance, Marine Care Ricketts Point, and the Bayside Recreational Users Group [non-
motorised], collectively representing 37 Port Phillip Bay user groups. We recently met The Hon.
Sonya Kilkenny MP, Minister for Outdoor Recreation. We found the Minister to be attentive and
pleasant, and we are grateful for this meeting. We will update you as we progress with further
meetings in the near future.

2. Dr Vicki Karalis was privileged to attend a meeting organised by Kingston Council with the Head
of Safe Transport Victoria and representatives of the land and water police to discuss our
concerns with Jet Skis, and the wider community concerns as demonstrated in the Kingston
Council survey findings. To view the Kingston Council survey findings on Jet Skis, click here:
https://mcusercontent.com/defff746d4362f6422faac4cd/files/4b185466-8790-edd8-2309-
afc09e44bf3d/Kingston_Council_Jet_Ski_Consultation_Summary_Report_2022.pdf

Have you noticed the changes to the Bayside coastline?

The cliffs in Bayside are prone to erosion.

Historically the erosion of the cliffs were a source of sand for beaches. Look at Half Moon Bay
cliffs - historically as the cliffs eroded, they provided sand to the Sandringham beaches.
Revegetation of the cliffs are an important way of stabilising the cliffs.
The base of the cliffs are also prone to erosion when there is no sand and dunes to protect them.
Sand renourishment is an important way of protecting the cliffs.
 However, by stopping the cliffs from eroding, we also cut off the source of sand,
so the beaches erode.
The beaches most impacted by erosion in Bayside, especially with severe weather conditions &
events, include:
Black Rock beach
Sandringham beach
Half Moon Bay
Dendy St beach, Brighton

Images above:
Left: Tennyson St beach; Right: Royal Ave beach in summer
Note the exposure of rock as sand has moved to the north over summer.
Sandbags were placed at the base of Royal Ave beach to protect the cliffs from further erosion.

In winter, prevailing northerly winds generate waves that transport sand southward along the beaches
north of Sandringham. In summer the more frequent southerly and southwesterly winds lead to waves that
move the sand back northward. Most years the northerly movement is more pronounced, and there is a
net loss of sand of approximately 2000 cubic metres per year that leaves some sections of the coast
exposed to increased wave action. This can lead to erosion of beaches and cliffs and weakening of shore
protection structures such as sea walls. Beach renourishment, the dumping of sand along the shoreline, is
an effective way to minimise the damage.Reefs are also helpful by buffering wave action as occurs at
Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary.

Despite the seasonal changes and the beaches looking good at the moment, as sand has returned
from the north due to the northerly winds and wave action, we still need citizen scientists to
continue helping by monitoring the beaches for erosion using the Fluker Posts and CoastSnap
APPS. To help, read instructions below.

WE NEED YOU TO HELP MONITOR THE EROSION ON THE BAYSIDE BEACHES

Instructions for citizen scientists for sand and cliff erosion monitoring
Fluker Posts

• SAN 1 is located at the start of the Royal Avenue rock groyne on the beach at the bottom of the
steep steps near Royal Ave carpark [hard to see as it is obscured by salt bushes [image below].
• SAN 2 is located mid-way along the Tennyson Street ramp leading to the beach [image below].
• SH1 is located at the top of the cliff on the fence line along the walking track towards Hampton –
this Fluker post takes photos of the build up of sand in the Sandringham Harbour [image below].

SnapCoast was erected 1 year ago and is located at the top of the Red Bluff cliff just opposite the walking
path from Love Street car-park. It monitors sand movement at Edward St beach.

Best to save your photos into your Smart Phones before you upload them onto the Fluker and
SnapCoast APPs.

The erosion on the Sandringham beaches usually peaks from January till early April every year. The
sands move with the dominant winds [image below].

SFA have been monitoring the erosion on most of the Bayside beaches since 2007.
Most of the photos we have taken of Sandringham beach have been uploaded onto the Fluker posts.

It is helpful to upload photos anytime of the year to record the patterns, sand shifting and changes with all
seasons, but particularly during the summer and autumn period. Over winter and spring, the sand builds
up again.

Wind patterns in Port Phillip Bay over the Winter and Summer period.
Below, BECA report 2006, commissioned by DEECA [formerly DSE & DELWP]
demonstrating sand movements along the Sandringham coastline due to
prevailing winds, and the average net sand loss per year [approximately 2000
cubic metres].

Images below: FLUKER Posts and CoastSnap APPS for citizen scientists to
monitor sand movement on Sandringham coastline using Smart phones
Above: Fluker Post SH1 to monitor the Sandringham Harbour from the top of the cliff

Above: SAN2 to monitor Tennyson St beach; SAN1 to monitor Royal Ave beach

Above: CoastSnap to monitor Edward St beach;

Right: the images of the APPS to download onto your smart phone
 Erosion of the beaches are part of the ongoing natural processes and cycles along the Bayside
beaches, and any changes to man-made structures such as rock groynes will result in shoreline
change. The question is more about what form/shape of shoreline/beach and what degree and
location of cliff erosion is acceptable to the community. Sea level rises, severe weather and storm
events that will occur with climate changes will contribute further to erosion.
See images below highlighting the erosion we witness predominantly over the summer
period in Bayside.

Black Rock Beach, Black Rock

Images above:
Black Rock beach to the south towards Quiet corner- notice there is no sand in front of the
revetment wall that occurs over the summer period.
The seawall is protecting the cliffs from wave action.
The seawall has been destroyed by storms and strong wave action, and subsequently repaired.
Images above 20th March 2022. Below the Black Rock Lifesaving club, no sand exists, as it has
moved to the north, exposing the "Sandringham Sandstone" at the base of the cliff
- fortunately this rock-type is hard, and slower to erode with wave action compared with softer
sandy cliffs, layer above. The sand has now returned over the winter period due to prevailing
northerly winds.

Royal Ave beach erosion, Sandringham

Images below

Above photos of Royal Ave beach, just north of the Royal Ave rock groyne.
The Royal Ave rock groyne was constructed in June 1990 to protect the Edward St cliffs from
erosion. It has a storm water drain pipe inside the groyne. Notice the softer sandy cliffs here are
very prone to erosion.

Tennyson St beach, Sandringham

Dendy St beach, Brighton

Dendy St beach 20th March 2022

Bayside City Council was very quick to protect the bathing boxes with the sand bags shown. This
protection also minimised dune erosion. Soon Council will renourish this area of the beach by
trucking sand from the north [south of the Park St rock groyne] to the south. Trucking of sand
occurs on many beaches throughout Australia and is an important way to help with sand
renourishment. Long term solutions are also being explored.
See: https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/news/fighting-erosion-beach &
https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/news/saving-dendy-street-beach

Weed killer still being used on our coastline

Unfortunately SFA have been informed that the use of chemical herbicides for the control of weeds has
actually gone up, not down in Bayside despite the commitment agreed to by councillors unanimously
agreeing at the Council meeting held in April 2022 to phase out the use of hazardous chemicals, such as
glyphosate herbicide. SFA played a big role presenting the findings of our concerns with herbicides and
pesticides on human health at the meeting that night, so this is quite disheartening for the community to
hear. The sprays are also harmful to the health of insects and animals alike. For example, to dogs who
closely contact the ground and are then also in close contact with their owners including children. As well,
native and wild animals and birds are all affected, such as lizards, rakali, bird life and insects – including
persistence in the entire food chain.

We believe the figures obtained by a local resident demonstrate the volume of use of Glyphosate in
Bayside over the years include: Year 20/21 280L; Year 21/22 600L; Year 22/23 800L per year.

SFA submission at Bayside City Council meeting held on April 2022 to ban the use of weedkiller can be
found here:
https://mcusercontent.com/defff746d4362f6422faac4cd/files/ded9535a-52bd-c530-4c94-
456cb7414962/SFA_submission_to_Council_Meeting_26th_April_2022.pdf

According to the World Health Organisation, International Agency for Research on Cancer a
“probable association of weed killers and cancers”.
SFA also recently put in a submission for the Council Budget to include more funding for environmental
work such as increase manual labour to help eradicate and control the spread of weeds and the control of
rubbish in the foreshore reserve. Our submission can be found here:
https://mcusercontent.com/defff746d4362f6422faac4cd/files/ef798ac7-bd96-8d19-1ee5-
38938db3a0bc/Bayside_CIty_Council_increase_budget_to_support_a_greener_community_2023_submis
sion_draft.pdf

Despite the increase use of weed killer, the weeds are getting worse – not better due to recent increase in
rains. SFA have written to Bayside City Council regarding this matter.

Sandringham Foreshore Association

The Sandringham Foreshore Association is a charitable not-for-profit association. Membership is free. Our
self-acclaimed role is to foster and promote good natural conservation principles to Bayside foreshore
management. Our current focus is to assist public education by aligning ourselves with scientific experts in
fields of conservation and natural environment, and to facilitate effective communication between
community – council and state governments – and established environmental science publications and
position statements.
The role of SFA is to care for and help protect our local beaches and cliffs, but also to educate, raise
awareness and preserve our local archaeological, geological, cultural, indigenous and heritage sites such
as the Beaumaris Bay fossil site.

Copyright: Sandringham Foreshore Association All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is: sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au

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