This section of coast is managed by the Bellarine Bayside Foreshore Committee of Management (BBFCoM), (Figure 6-23). Much of the shoreline is a very narrow strip of beach backed by eroding soft rock and some low cliffs. The shoreline is partially protected from wave action by the Great Sands. In the more exposed areas, there are some shore protection works in the form of rock revetments, timber retaining walls and geotextile container walls (near Salt Lagoon). In the south, relict timber groynes have been replaced recently along the frontage of Bell Parade to trap the southern moving sediments and widen the beaches in front the properties which run to within metres of the water’s edge and are very low-lying.

Further north around Bluff Rd and Harvey Park there is more dune development, and the general elevation of the hinterland is greater.

Seaward of Salt Lagoon the beach is very narrow and eroding. The properties behind the road sit in a depression and have been inundated in the past. Salt Lagoon itself supports some rare hyper-saline habitats, and occasionally dries out totally in summer.

Indented Head shoreline has been relatively stable over time. Some additional erosion protection exists in the form of a low retaining wall south of Andersons Reserve. The northern areas appear to be accreting, with the southern end eroding. This is consistent with the sediment transport trends determined in the previous coastal process study (Cardno, 2011c). As sand moves south in this area it will accumulate on the northern side of the headland before passing around it. The lack of sand on the southern side makes this area vulnerable to wave attack.

The Esplanade, east of Portarlington, is a very low-lying soft rock foreshore that is vulnerable to inundation. It has little or no protection against the prevailing winds and waves. There is no dune protecting the hinterland, and shore protection (where present) is mostly in the form of low retaining walls that are in various states, from poor to good condition. The lack of sand on the foreshore here is characteristic of the exposed nature of the shoreline. Near-shore tidal currents also appear to be strong and sediment is being transported east and west, with little material staying on the beaches.

The Portarlington area is a combination of low-lying soft rock shorelines and low cliffs. The Bellarine Bayside foreshore west of the harbour fronts the holiday park and is a very popular tourist area in summer. The beach was renourished with approximately 16,000 m ³ of imported material in 2012 to increase beach widths and provide additional amenity. This area west of here is also vulnerable to inundation, and has been flooded due to overwashing in the past. This area is regularly monitored to track the performance of the renourishment. Beach scraping is used as a management method at the far western end of the beach. This redistributes sand from the lower intertidal zone to the upper intertidal and supratidal zones.

The Ramblers Road foreshore is a mostly low-energy environment with narrow strips of beach of medium to fine sand and coarse shell material. There is some evidence of littoral drift in an easterly direction; however this reverses during less frequent north-easterly winds. The boat ramp facilities are dredged regularly with sand recycled east to renourish nearby shorelines, or exported for use elsewhere. Saline shrub habitats occupy the areas behind the very low dunes. Beyond the vegetation, private properties are positioned near the shoreline at very low elevations. These properties have been inundated in the past due to overwashing of the low dune.

Figure 6-23     Compartment 6: Point Edwards to Portarlington + cross-shore profiles and wave points