​The state government has responded to growing concerns over eroision of Point Lonsdale front beach by announcing today an extensive review of sand movement.

The independent study will analyse 20 years of data to better understand what is causing the rapid erosion and what can be done to safeguard the popular stretch of beach into the future.

Coastal modelling consultancy BMT WBM will undertake the review, which will incorporate contemporary knowledge, highlight information gaps and recommend long-term management strategies.

The review will also incorporate contemporary knowledge, highlight gaps in knowledge and data, and recommend sustainable options for long- and short-term sand management.

DELWP Greg Leece said Lonsdale Bight, also known as Pt Lonsdale front beach, had long felt the effects of sand movement from storm and tidal surges due to its location in one of the most dynamic areas of Victoria’s coastline.

“The depletion and reappearance of sand was first observed and recorded in the late 19th century and has since been a frequent phenomenon, despite continual investment to retain sand at the site,” said Greg Leece, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Parks (DELWP) Barwon South West region Land Planning and Approvals Regional Manager.  

“As part of the Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park, Lonsdale Bight has significant environmental value. The area is also the backdrop to many social and recreational activities and events, and we share the community’s disappointment when events such as surfing and ocean swimming competitions have to be relocated because the beach has disappeared.

“The lack of sand also exposes the masonry seawall, which is critical to protecting the Pt Lonsdale township, to erosion from storm surges, resulting in costly emergency repair work.

“It’s clear that measures to retain sand over the past have had limited success, and we need to improve our understanding of the area before we consider further investment,” Mr Leece said.

“This report will consolidate existing knowledge of the environmental factors causing sand movement at Lonsdale Bight and ensure decisions on the future management of this area are underpinned by the best available science.”

Concerns over erosion have gathered pace in recent months. Freshly exposed rocks have prompted safety concerns, resulting in the cancellation of a junior surf carnival earlier this year.

Organisers of last Summer’s Rip View Swim were also forced to take extra precautions to protect swimmers.

“We are keenly aware of the strong public interest in this issue and we will be presenting the report findings to the community. We remain committed to involving the community in the development of any proposed actions to manage sand at this popular beach,” Mr Leece said.
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A final report is due later this year 

The Lonsdale Golf course driving range has closed to make way for the next stage of the club’s multi million dollar housing redevelopment. But members have been told not to despair, with a pledge of even better practice facilities once the seven-stage, 100 home project is completed.
 
Club President Leigh Couttie says three existing practice nets remain on the course and new short and long practice options are also being installed. 

“Our long term facilities are going to be fabulous. It’s just that we’re going through this interim stage and because we are doing so much work there are impacts that we have. We have done what we can to reduce those impacts. The practice range that we had won’t be available but there are alternatives."

Those alternatives include a new short game practice hole at the end of the 18th hole and on-course professional coaching. 

“Because the driving range itself has gone we’ve now got the ability to for Sean [Charleston], our professional, to do course coaching. Until we’ve got more permanent facilities in place he can take people out onto the actual course,” Mr Couttie said. 

“The driving range that we used to have alongside Fellows Road was limited in both length as well as width. The new practice facility is on our master plan, and we’ve got two options, but they both come up with the same sort of layout. It’s a much more extensive practice facility.”

Lonsdale has also entered into a partnership with the Queenscliff Golf Club, both to offset the disruption of construction works to its members but also to safeguard the embattled Swan Island course. 

“We’d like to have a full 18 holes playable the whole time, we don’t have that at the moment, but with this agreement our full members can play at Queenscliff and vice versa. 

“They’re having a difficult time at the moment but we’re trying to work with them to make sure that we’re both in the best possible position,” said Mr Couttie. 

“Queenscliff is really unique in its environment and a lot of our members really love playing there so we want to work together to make sure that we’re both really viable golf clubs and we’re talking together about a whole range of things.” 

Construction works are well underway on sections four and five of the redevelopment, with houses soon to stretch along the former range to the existing Pro Shop. 
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Section five will extend further into the course, while six and seven – which includes a new clubhouse - will run along the course’s northern boundary.

Two of Queenscliff Tennis Club’s four courts could be lost to car parking as a result of falling membership numbers. 

The Bowling Club has given the Tennis committee an ultimatum to either significantly boost usage or give the courts up for disabled parking. 

A decision is likely to be made within the next six to eight months, according to Bowling Club Chairman Bob Merriman.

“The Bowling Club is currently looking at a whole redevelopment arising out of when the netball courts move. 

“Tennis usage has gone down to only around six playing members and we’ve got four courts there.” 

The club spent upwards of $80,000 some eight years ago resurfacing the courts and installing new lighting in the hope of drawing more members. 

“We’ve had a Tennis in Schools program and we’ve brought down Tennis Victoria and we’ve tried different things but the numbers have just decreased and decreased,” Cr Merriman said. 

“It’s now a question of we’re in difficulty with parking for the disabled in the vicinity so we’re being forced to look at alternatives and one of those is whether we finish up with two tennis courts and car parking and rubbish disposal at the other end. “

The potential shake-up may also include the croquet greens being moved to where the netball courts currently are, which would take up car spaces on the King Street side of the club.

Cr Merriman said it was almost certain a call would be made to take two tennis courts unless numbers “significantly” improved.
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“Tennis unfortunately is in decline, it just doesn’t have the same numbers of people playing the sport. The commitment we’ve given to the Tennis Club Committee is there’s going to be at least two courts remaining.”

The Queenscliff-Point Lonsdale Lions Club has initiated a new no-strings-attached membership drive in a last ditch attempt to save the local chapter from extinction.  

The initiative, targeted at time-poor residents who cannot commit to the traditional requirements of the service club, is a first of its kind for the Lions in the south west and could become a model for other struggling service clubs.  

Without it, the 70-year old club will almost certainly fold, said Lions Club District Chairman John Mitchell. 

“There’s no hiding that fact, it would have almost certainly happened already,” he said. “The chapter had intended to put a letter in, closing the club down on the 30th of June and I informed them, as membership chairman, that I was advising the Membership District Governor to refuse that request.  

“In the end the letter wasn’t sent because they re-thought the whole matter. This is a club that is over 50 years old and we didn’t want to lose them.  

“If it did fold we would have had to start again and to do that we need 20 members and it would be quite an ask to get that many,” said Mr Mitchell. 

Under the new plan, face-to-face meetings will be less frequent and there will be a reduced onus on members to attend every event and fundraiser. The club’s webpage, Facebook and other social media will be used to flesh out available volunteers as each event arises. 

“This should appeal to progressive, relatively time poor local residents,” Mr Mitchell said. “Obviously we are looking for progressive, motivated community members to be part of what is to be a new concept, the details of which will be decided by the membership as a group, after the expected reformation.”

“If we can get just another four or five members even it would rejuvenate the club. The current members are tired and they’re not getting younger. They’d like some younger blood in the club, not necessarily to o all the work but to help out where they can."

Mr Mitchell said the crisis in volunteers was being felt by service groups across the state, although in recent times that trend has been reversing in small communities.

“All volunteer groups are facing this shortage, not just Lions and Rotary, but I think having gone through a whole generation of people who have been adverse to joining we are starting to see young people joining again, particularly in country towns.”

Locally the Lions Club is involved in and raises money for several local and international causes including providing the lights for the Point Lonsdale Christmas Tree, community BBQ’s and  catering for the Cottage By The Sea. 

Any person over the age of 18 years old can join. 

An information sessions for locals wishing to add their name to the Lions volunteer list will be held at Lombardy’s Restaurant on Thursday October 6th at 7pm.
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“We are hoping that residents of Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale will perceive a value to the community provided by the Lions Club of Queenscliff/Point Lonsdale and will make the decision to join up and see that this service continues,” Mr Mitchell said. 
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Record low interest rates and continuing high Melbourne property prices are set to provide a boost to our local housing market this Spring. However real estate agents are bemoaning a shortage of properties to meet the anticipated demand. 

Agents are upbeat about the coming selling season, with a recent flurry of properties changing hands. Among them is a multi-million sale, still to be finalised, a potential record for Queenscliff.

Kerley’s Coastal Real Estate Director Damian Cayzer said buyers were coming from all quarters, including overseas. 

“We need more properties and it’s across all price brackets from entry level at around $500,000. The buyers I have at the moment are local, Melbourne, Greater Victoria and I have a handful of offshore investors,” he said.

“There is also a mix of investor holiday home buyers and permanent residents,” added agent Campbell Potts. 

“We have historically low interest rates which are not expected to change in the medium term which gives buyers and sellers certainty to make decisions.

“Our experience is that properties marketed and priced correctly are selling well at the moment.” 

Figures released by Realestate.com in recent days have put the median house price for Queenscliffe at around $680,000. The cost of renting is $340 per week on average. 

On top of low interest rates, a spike in Geelong property prices and a significant increase in executive jobs in the city – including the Epworth Hospital – are also contributing to a new wave of sea changers, said RT Edgar’s Felix Hakins.  

“There has been a lot of off the market transactions, especially in Point Lonsdale. There have been some big prices paid and they haven’t been on the market too long. These are ones that haven’t even hit the Internet or print media. 

“There are people walking into our office and saying I’d like this or I’d like that,” Mr Hakins said. 

A recent Price Predictor Index identified Geelong as a “superstar” of the state’s property market, with an anticipated spike in growth. The data, provided by property identification group Hotspotting, ranked the City as Australia’s fourth best buyers market. 

Fletchers Real Estate Agent Director James Gladman said a steady July and August provided every indication of a strong start to  Spring.

“The bottom end of the market have been really, really good. We’ve sold 23 blocks in Point Lonsdale’s Ocean Breeze Estate in a couple of months, that’s gone really well,” Mr Gladman said.  

“A small 2 bedroom brick home in Queenscliff’s Mercer Street sold within a short time of being listed for [close to $700,000]. “I think all the signs are really positive, the interest rates are low and the confidence in the market is really strong so it should be a really good spring and summer. 
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“We’ve got quite a lot to hit the market in the next month or so and the general feeling is there are a few more enquiries starting to come through and we’re starting to get a few buyers chasing each property, which is a good sign,” Mr Gladman said. ​

FOOTBALL - Queenscliff's U/18's hold the Queenscliff's premiership hopes, after securing a spot in the Division 3 Grand Final. 

The Colts earned their place in the premiership clash after proving proving too strong for undefeated ladder leaders North Geelong in the second-semi-final. 

They will meet the winners of this weekend's preliminary final between the Magpies and St Mary's. 

"I've hope you got suits, Coach Paul Forbes said post game. "Because we're off to the big dance!" 
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The Grand Final will be played at St Albans Reserve - 9.15 am on Saturday September 10. 
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Conservation workers have uncovered a treasured link to Point Lonsdale’s wartime past that could boost the case to have the Lighthouse Reserve heritage listed.
 
A large concrete slab carrying the inscription of three Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS) gunners, and sealed with five kisses, was found hidden under heavy vegetation, during a recent clean up of the site. 
The scrawled message, dating back to the early 1940s reads: 
Gunner Royals, Gunner Alchin and Gunner Thompson. AWAS. XXXXX

Lester Hunt and wife Lynne were walking nearby when the slab was discovered and were immediately aware of its significance.   

 “During WW2 there were 15 Army Defence buildings on the Reserve plus the concrete searchlight and gun emplacements that many of us still walk past. What is not well know is that there were Australian Women’s Army Service (later Australian Women’s Army Corps) personnel quartered on the east side of the road to the Lighthouse,” said Mr Hunt.

“These young women served as gunners and signalers as part of a unit called the AWAS Coastal Artillery Specialists.

 “The Point Lonsdale Lighthouse Reserve has once again unearthed some special insights into the past. The Reserve has always been known by amateur and professional historians and generations of locals to perhaps secretly harbour a treasure trove of relics from its long past.” 

Mr Hunt suspects the slab may have covered a well in the vicinity. 

The Australian War Museum and Queenscliffe Historical Society have helped to identify the trio, stationed at the Point Lonsdale gun emplacements between 1943-1945. 

“The Australian War Museum in Canberra has provided a photo of two of the women, Gunner Alchin and Gunner Thompson on duty in the artillery observation bunker, probably operating a range finding device,” said Mr Hunt. 

“Gunner Alchin’s service record has also been found. She was born in 1925, enlisted in 1943, making her 18 years of age when she was stationed at the Lighthouse Reserve.”

Details of the find have also been sent to the Heritage Council of Victoria and could assist with a local campaign to have the reserve heritage listed. 

Heritage Victoria has cautioned any similar finds made on the reserve are protected under the Heritage Act and and cannot be disturbed without official consent. 

“For me it’s that personal ‘moment in time’ that these women left behind and the fact that were actual gunners in the gun emplacements that got my attention. 

“If one or more of these women could be interviewed, well, that would be ‘icing on the cake,” Mr Hunt said.

The National Heritage List includes locations that are of outstanding significance to the nation. They are measured against nine criteria including natural or cultural history, potential to yield significant information and a special association with the life or works of a person or group significant in Australia’s history. 
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The Queenscliffe Council is currently investigating a request from prominent locals and historians for the site’s inclusion after the federal government indicated its support.