Victoria

The Victorian branch of the ACS committee is five passionate coastal professionals – Phebe Bicknell, Neil Blake, Mark Rodrigue, Zac Grimes and Jeska Dee. The committee meets monthly to discuss focus activities that align with the Victorian Chapter Strategy.

Over the past couple of years the committee has been heavily involved in a number of coastal and marine policy reforms happening within Victoria, providing representation on a number of working groups and/or providing submissions to key pieces of polices outlined below.

Marine and Coastal Strategy

Committee members were represented in Draft Marine and Coastal Strategy – Peak Bodies Working Group where we were able to contribute to the draft Strategy. The committee also provided a written submission to the draft Strategy with some considerations to provide improvements and clarity to the final strategy. The Strategy was released in 2022, you can find out further information via this link.

Draft Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy

The committee provided a written submission to the draft Victorian Recreational Boating Strategy with recommendations to consider some elements in further detail. More information on this Strategy can be found here.

Victoria’s Resilient Coast – Adapting for 2100+

Since July 2021, committee members have been attending the Victoria’s Resilient Coast – Adapting for 2100+ program – Collaborative Working Group sessions as peak bodies representatives. Further information can be found via this link.

Under the program, DELWP developed a state-wide approach to long-term coastal hazard resilience and adaptation. This includes a framework, guidelines and funding program to support adaptation in response to climate change impacts on the coast.
The discussions are helping to shape Victoria’s approach to adaptation. They allowed the working group to share ideas, perspectives and insights on coastal hazard adaptation and to provide comments on the preliminary draft framework and proposed approach.
The program was launched in July 2022
To support the launch of the project, two practical sessions are being held to outline information and resources associated with Coastkit, Victorian Coastal Monitoring Program (VCMP) and sediment compartments and planning. Invitations to attend these sessions was extended to ACS Vic Chapter members.

Webinar – Victoria’s Resilient Coast – Adapting for 2100+ (5 September 2022)

Thank you to everyone who joined our webinar on the 5th September on Victoria’s Resilient Coast – Adapting for 2100+.

A big thanks to Elisa, Rebecca and Jenny from DELWP for leading the presentation and fielding some questions from the group. It was really great to hear from the team and discuss different aspects of the applying this new framework across a range of coastal settings.

You’re able to watch this presentation below and access the presentation slide pack (attached here).

Victoria’s Marine Spatial Planning Framework

Committee members have been involved in working groups associated with the development of the Marine Spatial Planning Framework. We are currently attending workshops to provide feedback on two draft documents – Victoria’s marine planning areas and Marine Spatial Planning Guidelines. Further information can be found here.

Last updated: September 2022