The Save Bastion Point Campaign is a coalition of the East Gippsland Boardriders, the Mallacoota Coast Action/Coastcare group, the Mallacoota Surf Lifesaving Club, the Friends of Mallacoota, the Melbourne Group, individual Mallacoota residents, non-resident ratepayers, and concerned individuals, working to protect the Bastion Point headland from inappropriate development.

The groups each represent different interests:

Friends of Mallacoota are dedicated to caring for and protecting the natural environment and ensuring human activity and development are appropriate for the area. Far East Gippsland Boardriders, a branch of the Surfrider Foundation Australia, is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the Mallacoota and surrounding regional oceans, waves and beaches for all people. Mallacoota Surf Life Saving Club promotes safe water use by all user groups, through patrolling and undertaking rescues at the Bastion Point beach during the peak summer season. Mallacoota Coast Action/Coastcare works to protect and improve the sustainability and biological diversity of the coastline and its marine environment. Save Bastion Point Campaign Melbourne Group is an arm of the overal SBPC. The group meets bi-monthly in Carlton. Contact the Melbourne Group via the Contacts page if you would like to be added to the mailing list for meetings.

The Save Bastion Point Campaign is supported by:

Surfrider Foundation Australia, the Australian Conservation Foundation and VNPA (Victorian National Parks Association).

The following groups are also opposed to inappropriate development at Bastion Point -Save the Waves Coalition, the Friends of the Gippsland Lakes and The Disabled Surfers Association of Australia.

The Environment Defenders Office will represent the Save Bastion Point Campaign at the Inquiry.

Local residents and individuals

Hundreds of local community residents and regional and interstate people are supporters of the campaign to Save Bastion Point. Campaigners have written letters and petitions to Ministers and local Councillors, made submissions as part of the EES process, represented the interests of campaign groups and concerned individuals at local Council and community meetings, and commissioned expert reviews of the EES studies.

The Save Bastion Point Campaign has developed this Critique of EES Supplementary Reports to assist the public in understanding our criticisms of many of the reports commissioned by the East Gippsland Shire Council. The EGSC has used and abused these reports in its EES to justify its proposal for an inappropriate breakwater/ boat ramp at Bastion Point. You can obtain a copy of these reports from the EGSC. Critique of EES Supplementary Reports PDF (24KB)

This is our brief highlighting that it is possible for a solution to meet the Evaluation Objectives of the Assessment Criteria for Bastion Point and it wont exclude any group over another.

Seeking a resolution for the Bastion Point area

The Save Bastion Point Campaign has been opposing the East Gippsland Shire Council’s proposed large scale breakwater and boat ramp development at Bastion Point, Mallacoota. We advocate the protection of the many values of Bastion Point, and promoting the need for safe and sustainable use of the area. This document provides solutions to the objectives1 that will be used to assess any proposed development at Bastion Point.

Planning for a solution

Implementation of a comprehensive safety/risk, cultural heritage and environment management plan, developed in consultation with all stakeholders should be a vital component of any development proposed for Bastion Point. Due consideration must be given to activities undertaken by all stakeholders using the area both seasonally and collectively.

Objective	Solution
Provide an efficient and safe all-tide boat launching facility, adequately protected from wave action and sediment accumulation, to maximise safe and efficient boat launching and retrieval of commercial and recreational boats.	Construct an appropriately designed low impact boat ramp without a breakwater at the existing site. It must be recognised that sand management issues will continue to be governed by seasonal factors and cannot be eliminated at any of the proposed sites. Removal of sand at the existing site can be minimised through design principles and will have less impact on financial and environmental issues than at the other sites. Risks to safety that may currently exist at the present site will be reduced or eliminated with a properly instituted safety/ risk management plan
Provide adequate parking, access and ancillary facilities for users of the ramp, as may be required.	Formalise the existing lower car park and turning area, improve access road to existing launch site, construct a trailer parking area, and improve traffic and pedestrian management.
Avoid significant interference with coastal processes related to patterns of wave formation and sediment movement affecting Mallacoota Inlet and nearby beaches.	Do not include breakwaters in any solution at the Bastion Point area as there will be significant interference with coastal processes if a breakwater is constructed.
Avoid significant impacts on the water quality and ecological character of Mallacoota Inlet and surrounding site during both the construction and operational phases.	Contain appropriate low impact development to the existing site. The ecological character of Mallacoota Inlet and surrounding site will be retained and protected as the “Activity Node” footprint will remain within existing boundaries. Adverse impacts will be limited during the construction phase as construction works will be confined to the existing site and can be controlled using good management techniques.
Avoid detrimental impacts on the character, amenity and infrastructure of Bastion Point, including its attractiveness for recreation, tourism and education.	Improve car parking, traffic and pedestrian management, and improve ramp and launch facilities at the existing site without the construction of a breakwater, in order to maintain and compliment the attractiveness, values and amenity of Bastion Point for all users.
Avoid to the maximum extent possible, adverse impacts on Aboriginal or post-settlement cultural heritage.	Contain works to the boundaries of the existing site at the lower car park to ensure all cultural heritage values will remain undisturbed. Appropriately protect known sites through the use of suitable fencing and management techniques so that sites remain undisturbed.
Avoid adverse ecological impacts on significant native vegetation and provide for effective net gain compensation where necessary in accord with the Native Vegetation Management Framework.	Contain works to the existing launch site so that impacts on native vegetation will be minimised. No vegetation removal will be required for road access, as would occur at options 2 & 3. Vegetation removal can be further minimised by an appropriately sized upper level boat trailer parking area. Net gains are difficult to achieve on coastal foreshore reserves. Revegetation areas proposed as providing Net Gains compensation must be clearly identified before approval for vegetation removal is given.
Avoid adverse impacts on migratory waterbirds and any other species that are of national and/or state significance.	Impacts on species will be less at the existing facility site as infrastructure will largely remain within existing boundaries.
Provide a clear overall social benefit, taking into account economic impacts, social outcomes and residual environmental impacts.	A low key improvement at the existing site supports these outcomes as it will improve boating infrastructure while maintaining the existing values for the high number of other users that frequent the Bastion Point area. Economic values generated by these other users will continue to increase and residual environmental impacts will be limited.

Download this Fact Sheet as a PDF (Approx. 44KB)

The Save Bastion Point Campaign

A coalition of concerned groups and supporters has formed to fight the East Gippsland Shire Council’s proposal for a boat ramp and breakwater development at Bastion Point, Mallacoota. The campaign opposes such inappropriate development: it aims to protect the many values of Bastion Point and to promote safe and sustainable use of the area.

Where is Bastion Point - Why is it so special?

Bastion Point is located in Mallacoota, the most easterly coastal township in Victoria. An icon on Victoria’s Wilderness Coast, Bastion Point is part of an outstanding natural environment. Immediately to its north is the entrance to Mallacoota Inlet, a natural estuary and lake system renowned for its unspoilt beauty. To the east are Cape Howe Marine National Park and Gabo Island, home to the largest colony of little penguins in the Southern Hemisphere. A wilderness coastline stretches in either direction as far as the eye can see. This spectacular marine and coastal environment is surrounded by Croajingolong National Park, a World Biosphere Reserve. Bastion Point has extensive indigenous cultural heritage sites, has one of the few accessible shallow reef habitats in East Gippsland, and has ecological, geological and landscape values of state significance. It is the town beach and is used for surfing, swimming, beachcombing, bird-watching, rock pool rambling, scientific study, snorkeling, relaxing, angling and other recreational and social activities throughout the year.

What is the issue?

The East Gippsland Shire Council wants to construct a large ocean access facility at Bastion Point. Bastion Point currently provides ocean access for the abalone industry, government departments and recreational boating. The existing single-lane concrete ramp is 40 years old, and has not been maintained. It is in poor condition and is often covered by transitional sand. We recognize the need for improvement at Bastion Point; however all of the options considered by Council would require heavy engineering works, including large breakwaters, and would result in irreversible damage to Bastion Point. The Council’s preferred option, 150 metres south of the current boat ramp, includes ~

• a 2-lane boat ramp
• a large car/trailer turning area on the beach
• a boat holding area, with jetty
• a large breakwater approx 130m long, 2.3–2.8 high and 15m wide
• permanent sand dredging equipment
• road access through the headland
• catch-weighing, boat washing and fish cleaning facilities
• a boat trailer, car park and toilet facilities.

The Council is currently preparing an Environment Effects Statement (EES) for their proposal, which is a requirement by the Victorian Minister for Planning before any decision can be made about the development.

What’s wrong with the process?

To date, the Council’s conduct of the EES process has been substandard. They have failed to provide genuine, transparent and inclusive engagement of the Mallacoota community. A number of the reports that have been commissioned by Council have been inaccurate and flawed. Options for Bastion Point that could be environmentally, socially, culturally and economically sustainable have not been considered or assessed.

What’s wrong with the proposed development?

It will degrade a significant wilderness coastal environment & habitat. The proposed boat ramp and breakwater would cut through the geologically significant Bastion Point reef, resulting in the destruction of diverse and species-rich marine habitats. It would also interfere with the coastal processes and require an on-going dredging operation that would further impact the reef and nearby beaches. Construction of the access road and turning area would remove significant coastal vegetation and habitat, and threaten fragile dunes and a cliff-face of geo-scientific importance. Impacts on the wider environment from the proposed development are also likely. An outstanding coastal panorama would be seriously interrupted, and the natural integrity of a wilderness coast destroyed forever. It will be inequitable and discriminate against all other users The proposed development would increase the boating activity footprint substantially, disenfranchising all other users of the area including swimmers, walkers and rock-ramblers. Surfing in particular would be severely affected as the breakwater would cut across an important surf break and affect other surf breaks in the vicinity. This would have a major impact on the town, especially the youth for whom surfing is a vital activity. There are no other surfing locations nearby that provide the same level of shelter in the predominant southerly winds. Ongoing dredging with its discharge, smells and noise would degrade the amenity of the popular nearby beach. It will create safety hazards There are major risks for boat operators who would be encouraged to use the new ocean access infrastructure. Dangerous breaking waves regularly occur in the vicinity of the proposed breakwater and beyond. The breakwater would impair vision for boat operators, making exiting and entering the facility dangerous. Inexperienced boaters enticed into waters where conditions can change rapidly and become hazardous, would be especially at risk. It will destroy Indigenous cultural heritage The proposed road works would be located in an area that contains significant Indigenous archaeological cultural heritage sites. This infrastructure would have a severe impact on these midden and quarry sites. It will threaten sustainable tourism The proposal threatens Mallacoota’s long-term tourism future by compromising the many values of Bastion Point and the Wilderness Coast. Residents and visitors are attracted to the area because of its natural beauty and low–key development. Investing in and protecting the area’s natural assets can better achieve sustainable tourism. It will not be economically sustainable The need for such a costly and heavily engineered facility has not been demonstrated. The abalone industry does not depend on the proposal proceeding and will sustain itself without it. The economic benefits of the proposal have been exaggerated, and the environmental, social, cultural and economic costs have been ignored or grossly underestimated. There would be significant on-going operational and maintenance costs, and high usage fees are likely. It will be contradictory to Government strategies The proposal is inconsistent with many government policies, including the principles of sound coastal management as endorsed in the Victorian Coastal Strategy. What is the solution? There needs to be a genuine and comprehensive investigation of options for Bastion Point to facilitate the provision of safe and sustainable solutions that respect the natural, cultural and recreational values of the area.

The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) has just classified and included in the National Trust's Register, the Mallacoota Coastal and Inlet Foreshore. The Trust promotes that classified places are an essential part of Australia's heritage and must be preserved. See the notification letter as well as the summary Landspace Classification Report sent to the East Gippsland Shire Council. The specific area for classification is defined and the statement of cultural heritage significance is described. National Trust Notification and Classification Report See here for the Full National Trust Landscape Classification Report The Save Bastion Point Campaign sees this as a great outcome for recognising the significance of the area, including Bastion Point. The report defines that the Mallacoota Coastal and Inlet Foreshore precinct is significant for its aesthetic, historic, scientific (ecological, geological and geomorphological), social and spiritual values at a State level.