Surf Coast Urban Growth Plan Opposed

In February 2008 the Surf Coast Shire appointed Hansen Partnership and a team of consultants to prepare an urban growth framework plan for Spring Creek urban growth corridor, which is a designated future growth area to the west of Torquay, VIC.

The growth framework plan will be the key strategic planning document that will provide the long-term vision for the future planning and development of the Spring Creek corridor.

For detailed information on this campaign, please see speakupforspringcreek.org

The plan will comprise two parts: a broad framework plan that will coordinate development across the entire precinct; and a more detailed precinct structure plan that will provide a higher level of guidance for the first stage development, which is anticipated to relate to land within a kilometre to the west of Duffields Road.

The plan will be relevant for both short term and longer term planning and development within the corridor, which is expected to take around 20 years to develop.

The project brief sets out the primary objectives of the Spring Creek Urban Growth Framework Plan. They were:

• To develop a vision for the Spring Creek Urban Growth Area that delivers a framework for healthy, connected and safe neighbourhoods that are affordable, renewable and sustainable;
• To formulate a framework plan which is based on sustainable principles addressing the economic, social, environmental and cultural needs of the future community;
• To confirm how the Spring Creek Urban Growth Area will relate to the township of Bellbrae, including the designation of a western settlement boundary.

The Surfrider Foundation Surf Coast Branch is opposed to the Spring Creek Urban Growth Framework Plan.

Read their submission here or visit http://www.surfrider.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/SFspringcreeksubmission-mar2009.pdf

The Surf Coast has some of the most beautiful beaches in Australia. These beaches attract millions of tourists and day visitors each year.

The beaches from Point Impossible to Point Addis provide an important social and recreational outlet for families and locals. They also provide habitat to a diverse range of animals and native wildlife.

The significance of our natural assets has been supported by the creation of significant marine and national parks within a 5 kilometre radius of Torquay.

The Bells Beach Surfing Recreation Reserve compliments this series of parks by providing protection from development to one of the most iconic surfing beaches in the world.

Torquay supports a large number of environmental groups who dedicate significant volunteer hours to protecting and preserving our natural assets.

In summary caring for the environment is a key value for the community of Torquay and Jan Juc.

Concerns Over Oil Spill

Two hundred and fifty tonnes of oil has been spilt off Moreton Island on Wednesday (11th March 2009), affecting 20 km of Sunshine Coast beaches. The spill was caused when Hong Kong cargo ship Pacific Adventurer was damaged in cyclonic seas. Initial estimates of 20 tonnes of oil were well out of the range of the final figure of 250 tonnes.

Initially, heavy loaders and digging machinery were bought onto the scene to clear the oil. Due to misinformation, the EPA ordered council to remove this equipment and continue the clean-up with shovels and rakes. Concerns were expressed and a crisis meeting of relevant government officials was called for late Thursday to debate the issue. In the meantime, work on the spill site was put on hold. The end result of these talks was the Premier declaring the southern half of the Sunshine Coast, Bribie Island and Moreton Island disaster areas. The larger machinery was bought back onto the beaches to complete the clean-up.

The hardest hit areas were 10kms from Point Cartwright, and further south to Warana, Bokarina and Wurtulla beaches. Thick, black sludge coated wildlife, the coastline and formed a film on some dune vegetation and beach protection fences. Other oil has entered both Currimundi Creek and the Maroochy River before booms that were flown in to protect freshwater supplies could be put in place. Local council and Qld Parks and Wildlife cleaned-up North Shore’s Maroochy River Conservation Park, where oil had washed into 20 metres of bushland from the rivers edge.

Most Coast beaches from Marcoola to Bribie Island were closed on Friday as the oil spill workers went into damage control. As the oil was cleared, beaches were slowly reopened, with the southern end of Point Cartwright being the only area still closed on Tuesday (17th March 2009).

With worldwide coverage of the disaster issues of long-term costs to the tourism industry, as well as the on-going environmental impacts are being raised. Local businesses, marine-life and ecosystems are currently feeling the full force of the spill. The ship’s insurers are expected to pay the financial costs of the clean-up, with the shipping company being further liable for fines of up to $1.5 million. A full investigation is being conducted.

The oil disaster is considered the State’s worst marine pollution spill to date.

Surfrider Foundation Australia will continue to monitor this disasterous event, work with local government to ensure proper follow up, and seek more appropriate response protocols. If you’d like to help in any way, please visit our Sunshine Coast Oil Spill Help page.

Turimetta Beach Cleanup, Sydney

Surfrider Northern Beaches crew picked up a variety of rubbish at a recent beach cleanup at Turimetta on the Northern Beaches in Sydney, NSW. Their large garbage bags were stuffed full of all sorts of treasures, including petrol cans, needles, bongs, beer bottles, cans, chip packets, condom wrappers, cigarette butts, fishing tackle and other goodies.

The gatherers were dismayed to find a surprising amount of glass on the surface of the sand, and throughout the dune system at Turimetta.

Surfrider Northern Beaches branch meet on the first Wednesday of the Month at North Narrabeen from 7.30pm. For More information on the group and their activities please contact Brendan at surfridernb at ozemail.com.au.

Here’s some photos of Kevin, Kristy and Tim from Surfrider Northern Beaches getting their hands dirty.

Smoke Free Beaches on the Surf Coast

The Surfrider Foundation Surf Coast branch congratulates the Surf Coast Shire for its decision last night to support a ban on smoking at beaches along the Surf Coast. The ban will create the first Smoke Free Beaches in Victoria.

The Surfrider Foundation first approached the Surf Coast Shire and Great Ocean Road Coastal Committee with a proposal for Smoke Free Beaches back in March 2008. The proposal is backed by a number of environmental groups including Surfers Appreciating the Natural Environment (SANE), Torquay Coast Action and Jan Juc Coast Action

Cigarette butts are a major problem on our beaches. Beach surveys by the Surfrider Foundation dating back to 1995 reveal that 80% of urban beaches have cigarette butts evident and that cigarette butts form the highest percentage of litter on our beaches.

Data from Clean Up Australia shows that 7 billion cigarette butts are dropped in Australia each year, a significant number end up on our beaches.

“Cigarette butts are toxic time bombs containing significant pollutants that can harm wildlife and young children if swallowed. Each discarded butt contains traces of cadmium, lead, arsenic and other toxic chemicals which have a significant impact on the environment.

Smoke free beaches will create cleaner coastal environments for everyone to enjoy”
John Foss, Surfrider Foundation Surf Coast Branch

Smoking is currently banned on many beaches around the world for environmental,
social and economic reasons. In December 2007 the Joondalup Council (Perth) passed a Local Law banning smoking along its 17 kilometre coastline.

The Surf Coast ban on smoking extends along approximately 55 kilometres of coast from Torquay to Lorne including the iconic Bells Beach.

Surfrider Foundation Surf Coast Branch intends to work with the shire and GORCC on promoting Smoke Free Beaches and will announce a number of its own initiatives shortly.

For further information contact
John Foss (President – Surf Coast Branch) – 0408 386 812

Pollution is still a problem

The photograph below was taken mid last week on Sydney’s Northern Beaches in NSW by the famous Barnaby, mastermind behind SproutDaily.com, Manly’s daily online photojournalists blog.

Bikes for the Beaches

Dave & Foulsh Adventures…

Two men, two bikes, a couple of tents and a hell of a lot of coastline!
David Barrett-Lennardand and Ian Foulsham  are two Surfrider supporters who gave up last summer’s worth of surf trips in the car, to ride their pushies around the coast of Australia. Their mission was to “raise awareness of the importance of coastal conservation, and the impact humans can have on the coastal environment.”

The journey  commenced on the 1st of February and concluded on the 6th of March 2009, travelling a total of 4780 km and raising a combined total of over $10,000 for Surfrider Foundation Australia with the dollar for dollar match up to $5000, from Dave’s boss, Peter Cruddas.

Dave travelled from Sydney to Adelaide and Ian (‘Foulsh’ ) from Sydney to Perth. With great composure and courage, they tackled all obstacles and weather along the way. Truly an astounding effort that has made all of us here at Surfrider Australia very proud. A special thanks to Dave and Ian, their sponsors, supportive members who generously donated to this worthy cause, family and friends.
For more fun stuff and journey blogs from David and Ian, visit daveandfoulshadventures.com/

A Weekend In Tassie

A trail of cars makes the one-hour drive south from Hobart, straddled high with board bags and
proudly parading Surfrider bumper stickers. Passengers face’s stare keenly out of fogged-up windows, taking in the passing scenery in the breaking daylight, rolling green hills, of farmland and logging, small towns and a seasidevillage.

It’s too early on a Friday morning and we’re on our way South to Southport, ready to meet our skipper and head down the coast as part of the Surfrider Foundation National Education Conference Wilderness day, which is held annually the day before the conference.

Finally we reach Southport and unload the boards into a small dingy at the rustic jetty. Several old fishing types unload their boats and hurriedly push past, failing even an acknowledging grunt. Dingy packed we motor out to Dave’s boat, an old charter vessel from Western Australia that’s been converted to be able to fish for crays in some of Australia’s most treacherous waters.

The passing scenery changes dramatically. No more buildings, roads or even signs of human life. Vibrant blue sky over calm, ever-stretching sparkling sunlit ocean, islands dripping with white cloud, snowcapped mountains, dolphins … what a paradise!

”It’s not like this every day… “ the Whish-Wilson family kept telling us. “Huey must’ve heard on the grapevine that the Surfrider crew were coming down south.”

Go!It was only several days earlier we had received an emails alerting us to the possibility of great weather and the opportunity for a surfing boat trip. Kristy couldn’t keep the grin off her face.
As we passed the most southern point of Australia and further down and around the south-east, that same grin returned. After passing dozens of high granite and dolerite headlands, some compellingly phallic, we reached our destination. As promised, the wind was fanning offshore and conditions perfect with cool, hood worthy water temps. There are already two other surfers in the water who have completed a 12km hike through wilderness to access this wave.

Strong, straight swell lines march out of the south west and stand up tall as they felt the pull of the mighty rock. After bending about thirty five degrees they freight down the groomed bank, their perfect shape being assisted by the stiff offshore wind.

The predominantly left handed sandbank is held in place by an imposing dolerite island stack that points directly into the oncoming swell. A fierce rip runs back out along the rock, creating a deep channel that is filled with twenty foot lengths of bull kelp.

In the background the crew can see the snow capped mountains: this is surfing in Tasmania! But it’s no cake walk, the thick ocean swells and rips make the takeoffs challenging. Once at the bottom of the wave, it doubles up and makes a run for the distant rock, throwing up several fast bowl sections in the process.

The Surfrider crew all surf till their arms can take no more. Mission accomplished, it’s smiles all round on the trip back. Many take the opportunity to duck below deck and catch up on some much needed sleep, while others decide to double check what they had earlier for lunch courtesy of seasickness!

FRIDAY NIGHT

By evening we felt satisfied with our outdoor exploration and we’re ready to settle into some serious conference action for the weekend.

The front quarter of Bonython’s crowdBack at Theatre Royal, Campbell Street Hobart, hosted by the charming Surfrider supporters, Michael and Mala, more fun was in store. Come 8.30pm, the Theatre Royal dining room had been completely transformed into an makeshift picture theatre. It was brimming with hundreds of keen Tassie surfers, from groms to oldies, all pumped to see, meet and hear the work of surfing filmmaker Tim Bonython, who had made the trip especially for Surfrider to screen his latest works.
The crowd frothed over the first-ever-viewed footage from Tim’s recent travels with Bra Boys Koby, Mark and Rich. Footage included Shippies and some other gnarly unnamed waves from around Australia. Tim narrated, talking us through the various waves and adventures. It was awesome, hoots and grins and some massive, barrelling waves.

A raging success, nearly half the punters signed up to Surfrider on the night and all proceeds directed to Surfrider Tasmania. Despite the great action and company, Gene began to feel strangely warm in the stomach. Before long his fear of a return to seasickness gave way to the fear that he had something far more sinister! Half an hour later he was bent over a giant salad bowl, heaving great power chucks that forced much of his dinner deep into his sinuses and nasal passages. Pretty rough!

SATURDAY NIGHT

Saturday night, after a day of project stirring topics and conversations at the Surfrider Foundation National Education Conference, the Surfrider crew headed out for beers at the local watering hole.
A few of the crew ducked off early … SR Margaret River’s Gene, SR Tassie’s Paul and Julia and Kristy decided to make the most of daylight savings instead. We headed out of Hobart and took a spin in Paul’s Zodiac to see the Hobart Points and the Tassie scenery tucked in and around Lauderdale, and famous Hobart Point stretch of coast. Hugging the coast, we passed Lauderdale point, Mays Point(s) and finally , Cremorne Point. Paul explained the extreme fickleness of these waves, requiring a large, straight south swells to march up the estuary and make them work. However, he also told tales of their magical quality, low tide barrels winding down the steep farmers fields, again all in view of the snow topped splendour of Mount Wellington.

Paul drives Zodiac with scenic Tassie in backgroundWith the sun setting we park the Zodiac at Cremorne, and run up a carefully laid path through the dunes to a small coastal shack set upon the delicate sand spit. The development represents a bygone era when coastal planning and rising sea levels where unheard of. If someone proposed an idea of a development like this nowadays you would have groups like Surfrider jumping up and down in no time. But it’s a magical place, with the backyard overlooking the unique inlet and point break that could simply only be in Tasmania.

We motored home across the cool, bumpy water… witnessing the sunset over the windswept granite sandstone points of Hobart from the Zodiacwas… Intoxicatingly good. Who needs herbal tea, essential oils and massage when you live in Tassie? Relaxed, peaceful, calm.

Home at last at we decide to splash out and try some of the local takeaway. It’s not even past 8.30 and we’re shut down, “turned off the pizza oven hours ago”!
“Typical small town service!”, laughs Paul. “…and on a Saturday night too!”
Still set on pizza, Gene and Paul treated us all to homemade style.
Just as good as the homemade pizza was another Tasmanian wilderness experience: a screening of the 2003 film Wildness.

Through the lens and lives of two of Australia’s greatest wilderness photographers and local legends, Olegas Truchanas and Peter Dombrovskis, Wildness was an awareness-raising film focusing on Tasmania’s South West region. The film follows the two photographers passion to share and conserve the southwestern Tasmanian wilderness areas.

Written and directed by Scott Millwood, the film covers the development of destructive dams through the 1950s – 1980s. It also showed the triumphs and setbacks of the community and how the support and influence of mainlanders could promote change in Tasmania.

We soak it up.

Wildness reinforced the importance and need for conservation and protection of Tasmania’s wilderness areas, and also portrayed something we’d been hearing and seeing a lot of examples of over the weekend – Tasmanians inextinguishable zeal for conservation of their natural landscape. Unfortunately we later learnt that this is offset by the die-hard attitudes of an equally determined redneck population, hell bent on harnessing Tasmania’s natural resources for their own enrichment. Surfrider’s latest battle in Tasmania has been against the might of the state’s largest private company, environmental vandals Gunn’s, who plan to build an enormous pulp mill on the states northern coast.

The film reinforced an underlying message that we kept sensing and hearing throughout the weekend – conservation and environmental initiatives take years of tireless work and commitment, sometimes, more than a lifetime or several lifetimes. However, with any luck the tireless work of Peter Whish-Wilson and the other northern Tasmanians will pay off and the pulp mill will fail to get off the ground!
Meanwhile, we keenly awaited the following mornings surf.

SUNDAY

Gene pointsNext thing it’s daylight and we’re in the car with wetsuits and boards (even managed to sneak in some hot water for later). The sun’s out, the light winds unusually warm. Until of course we hit the water… a race through the sand under a brilliant blue sky to see little 1-2 ft waves at Clifton, Hobart’s main beach.

There were others out, bracing the cool waters, like us, with hoods, booties, gloves, hot vest and 4/3.
From the lineup, we look down past Bruny Island, further past the last distant headland and into the great void of the Southern Ocean. This is living, braving the elements, beating the crowd, capturing the extra golden moments that come only to those brave enough to step outside of their comfort zones.

Do something special and be rewarded in the most special of ways.

By Gene, Kristy, Paul and Julia

Surfrider Foundation National Conference and AGM 2008

What a weekend! The 2008 Surfrider Foundation National Education Conference and AGM in Hobart was an outstanding success, with many interstate delegates vowing to return to Tasmania “real soon”.

The Friday pre-conference activity was a cray-fishing boat trip to the remote and beautiful Coastal Environment World Heritage area around South Cape (Australia’s most southerly surf location). Several local and interstate Surfrider members braved the cool water to sample the very nice Tassie 4′-6′ left handers on offer – with a snow capped mountain backdrop. Many thanks to skipper Dave Wyatt for making his boat (Velocity) available for the trip.

Surfing down southBack in Hobart that night around 220 local surfers crammed into the historic Theatre Royal Hotel (our wonderful conference venue) for a showing of some of renowned film maker Tim Bonython’s latest amazing footage (or as he called it, his ‘home movie’) of places like Ours, an unnamed WA offshore reef hell pit and of course Shipsterns Bluff. A big vote of thanks to Tim Bonython, long time good friend of Surfrider, who flew down from Sydney for the night to introduce the show.

The Education Conference got underway on Saturday morning with Matt Dell (Hobart Surfrider Branch President) giving an inspiring presentation on the 10 year initiative he has been running to clean up Tasmania’s remote wilderness beaches. Kristy Theissling from Coastalwatch then gave us some great insights on how to access latest website technologies to get the Surfrider message out there. Next, Chris Rees (Dept of Environment Tasmania) gave a thoughtful presentation on how government bureaucracies and community groups can collaborate to bring about positive environmental change. Andy Myers (ANU) then outlined cutting edge ways that marine researchers can manage and archive data through databases and networks. The morning session closed with former journalist and now Greens MP, Cassy O’Connor, explaining how to deal with the media when campaigning and providing some very useful political insights along the way.

The afternoon began with Rebecca Hubbard from Environment Tasmania outlining the importance of establishing marine reserves (which unfortunately currently only represent 1% of Tasmania’s coastline). Dr Stuart Godfrey (retired CSIRO scientist) and Peter Whish-Wilson then explained the critical importance and value of scientific research in a Surfrider campaign, using the long running Bell Bay pulp mill proposal campaign as an example. Gene Hardy from Surfrider Margaret River Branch (and SW Catchments Council WA) informed us about some innovative ways to increase awareness of the importance of looking after the coastal environment. Gene’s presentation included the premiere of a brilliant 16 mm film ‘Impact Zone’ (which should be available via the Surfrider Australia website soon). Dr Mark Hemer (CSIRO) then focused on climate change as he gave a presentation on trends in Australian wave patterns and impact on vulnerable coastal areas.

The afternoon concluded with a special presentation honouring the contribution that Stuart Ball, has made through his many years of wonderful work with Surfrider.

Sunday’s AGM saw something of a changing of the guard of the Surfrider Australia Board, with Chris Tola stepping down after many years of dedicated service and three new board members, Rex Campbell (Mornington Peninsular), Peter Whish- Wilson (Northern Tasmania) and Paul Maddock (Sydney Northern Beaches) being elected. We were also introduced to our new General Manager, Julia Chunn, who outlined her vision for Surfrider going forward. The rest of the day was filled with inspiring presentations from branch representatives from all around Australia outlining the great work that Surfrider is undertaking at the place where it really counts – the grass roots level.

A massive vote of thanks to conference organiser Peter Whish-Wilson and the Tassie Surfrider crew for their tireless efforts in staging such a memorable and worthwhile weekend.

Waves Of Change – Learning From Experience

The 17th Annual Surfrider Australia National Conference & Inaugural National Education Conference

Tazzie! November 7 – 9, 2008 we invited you to join us in Hobart  Tasmania to experience the famous Southern hospitality of our Tasmanian Surfrider crew, and witness some of Tasmania’s world acknowledged natural wilderness areas.

It was our first ever National Education Conference and the focus was on the environment in which we work and gaining tools to better foster excellence in administration and C.A.R.E.

Thank you for your attendance.