Latest news with #PortPhillipBay
ABC News
2 days ago
- General
- ABC News
As Elsternwick golf course turns into a nature reserve, 'ham-fisted' tree removal concerns residents
A decade after an inner-Melbourne golf club was earmarked to become a "natural oasis", the loss of established trees as part of its transformation is concerning residents. As the $22 million project to turn the former Elsternwick Park golf course into the Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve continues, some say too many trees are being felled. The project, which the Bayside City Council has said will create a "biodiversity refuge" and improve the quality of water flowing into Port Phillip Bay, involves creating wetland areas, a chain of ponds and a wildflower meadow. The creation of wetlands in the southern section of the site is underway, and dozens of native and non-native trees were being cleared in that area last week. Local resident Tony Wells, a wildlife photographer, said he was so surprised by the scale of the works as he drove past, he stopped to snap pictures. "I saw the bulldozers and the chainsaws at work, and that they were woodchipping stuff," he said. Mr Wells, who has photographed endangered gang-gang cockatoos feeding in the reserve, and tawny frogmouths nesting, said the section he saw had been "moonscaped". "People are justifiably alarmed by what's occurred here," he said. "This seems to be really ham-fisted project management by the council contractors. "The community really wants this project to succeed. We think it's a fantastic opportunity for nature to be protected and recreated in an urban setting, but we feel council's dropped the ball in this case. "We don't want to see any more activity like this again without proper consultation with the community and people who know about the environment." Gio Fitzpatrick, the president of the Yalukit Willam Nature Association, said he understood the justification for removing some trees, but the way it was being done had raised alarm bells for the group. He said he was particularly concerned about three out of seven decades-old river red gums in one section being felled to make way for a wetland area. "I would understand the 'we've got to crack an egg to make an omelette' justification," he said. "But it's a golf course, so essentially the trees are aligned in rows with big fairways in between, and there's a lot of space in those fairways for a wetland. "River red gums are actually the most adapted to flooding." Mr Fitzpatrick said members of the 300-strong group were also concerned that Bayside City Council contractors had turned cleared trees into woodchips instead of retaining the timber to create habitat. "They assured us upwards of four or five times that timber would be retained as branches and logs for habitat, and then it was mostly chipped," he said. "If your goal is creating a nature reserve, if you're chopping down any tree, indigenous or otherwise, it's advantageous to save that timber to use as ground habitat, and also to leave standing deadwood as habitat. That's a golden opportunity." However he said neither of those things had really been done. "There's a bit of timber that has been retained, but the vast majority is in a massive pile of woodchips." A Bayside City Council spokesperson said some trees were being removed in the southern wetland area of the site as part of the construction of the new wetland. "The wetlands will provide critical habitat for wildlife and new vegetation habitat zones," the spokesperson said. A statement released by the council said the construction of the wetland would involve 200,000 new terrestrial and aquatic plants, and 1,900 trees. "A detailed and specialist tree impact assessment determined that some trees will not tolerate the wetland environment, will be impacted by earthworks, or will inhibit the new indigenous vegetation communities," it said. "Exotic species and declared weed species (e.g. Cypress trees) are also being removed and chipped." "All efforts are being taken to minimise the number of trees being removed. "Most native trees, logs and branches are being repurposed onsite for landscaping and habitat creation. Over 30 native trees are being saved in whole including logs and branches. "All other native trees are being stored for log wood or branches. Only exotic trees are being chipped." But Mr Wells said he feared the impact the removal of established trees would have on wildlife in the area. "They fly from tree to tree looking for food, and that's what they do in that reserve, so the loss of native trees is really a tragedy for that species and others that use that reserve."
ABC News
6 days ago
- General
- ABC News
'Quite a mystery' as humpback whales spotted frolicking in Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay
Two whales have been spotted frolicking in Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay on Tuesday in what experts say is a "rare" occurrence. David Donnelly from the Two Bays Whale Project, a citizen science program dedicated to the study of whales in Victoria's Port Phillip Bay area, said whales migrate during this time of year. "Some of them are quite close to shore, however, swimming up the Yarra River and going under the West Gate Bridge is not something we expect," he said. "In fact, this is the first record in over a decade." Mr Donnelly said the animals were travelling north as part of their migration journey to warmer breeding grounds. "What they're doing in the bay and in the river … is quite a mystery." He said there had also been reported sightings of whales off Parkdale Beach, about 25 kilometres south-east of Melbourne's CBD. According to Mr Donnelly, sightings were reported since the weekend. Based on footage shared by the public on social media, he could identify the whales as humpbacks. "We received a number of reports of whales across Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. We were supplied by photos and footages by a range of different people," Mr Donnelly said. "We were able to tell by the features of the dorsal fins that these were indeed humpback whales." According to Mr Donnelly, whales are also known to travel solo or in groups of up to 20 in a pod. Footage shared by Ports Victoria captured the whales occasionally breaching close to the docks under the West Gate Bridge. In a statement, Ports Victoria said it was "surprised and delighted" to witness the whales swimming up the Yarra River. "While Ports Victoria's Vessel Traffic Officers always maintain a close watch across port waters, it's not every day that they're called upon to monitor the movements of whales," a spokesperson said. Mr Donnelly said Victorians can expert more opportunities for whale sightings throughout the year. "We've got something to look forward to when they return with their calves later this year," he said. He also warned keen whale watchers to be "respectful" when encountering the mammals. "If you are on the water … please be respectful of the regulations. The regulations are there for your protection as well as the whales," he said. "And for anyone in a recreational vessel to maintain a distance of 200 metres of greater. And for personal watercraft, jetskis and the like, 300 metres."
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Grim underwater find prompts calls to make $43.9 million change in Aussie waters
Sea urchins are being found in alarming numbers in waters surrounding one of Australia's largest cities, but researchers believe culling them could create $92 million in benefits. A team from RMIT believe multiple industries could benefit if Port Phillip Bay's kelp forests they're destroying, are allowed to recover. Sea urchins are native to waters around Melbourne and feed on kelp, but warming waters and changing ocean currents have caused their numbers to reach 'unsustainable population levels', and pictures taken by RMIT divers show things are looking grim in many parts of the ocean. Kelp coverage in the greater region has declined by up to 98 per cent in the region over the last 40 years. Because the changing ocean conditions that favour the urchins are caused by climate change, their numbers aren't expected to naturally correct themselves, which is why the researchers argue intervention is needed. The study found that reducing urchin numbers and allowing the kelp forests to recover would reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in the water. Carrying out the plan would be expensive, with an investment of $43.9 million needed to create $92.1 million in benefits. But the study's lead author, Dr Paul Carnell, argues the plan would be a 'smart economic investment' for government. 'This approach can be targeted to specific areas of the bay, so we can get the greatest bang for our buck,' he said. 🪨 Inventor's valuable secret hidden beneath pile of rocks in outback 📸 Rare colour footage of extinct Australian animal seen again after 90 years 📍 Huge change to multi-million dollar block of land in busy suburb The plan could see the tourism sector profit as kelp forests are a drawcard for divers and snorkellers. Fish stocks would also likely improve, aiding both commercial and recreational fishers. But the biggest beneficiary would likely be the wider environment, as kept forests play an important role in water purification and carbon sequestering, a major cause of global warming. In Victoria, the collection of urchins is regulated, and there is a bag limit of 40. While they're in problematic numbers, they are actually a valuable resource and considered a delicacy in some Asian cultures. In Australia, some premium urchin roe can retail for almost $700 for 120 grams, but there are cheaper alternatives for as little as $60 per 100 grams. The study has been published in the journal published in Ecosystem Services. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Reuters
30-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Vopak in talks with partners for Australia LNG import project
SINGAPORE, May 30 (Reuters) - Vopak ( opens new tab has started talks with gas suppliers and offtakers for its liquefied natural gas import terminal project in Victoria, Australia, and expects to take a final investment decision in 2026-2027, a senior executive told Reuters. The global energy storage operator announced last week it was confident in advancing the project in Australia's biggest gas-consuming state after laws were passed to ease supply shortfalls. Paul Kanters, managing director of Vopak Terminals Australia, said operations could begin as soon as 2029 if all the necessary environmental permits and commercial contracts are in place in 2026-2027. Vopak's Victorian Energy Terminal in Port Phillip Bay is one of four proposed across Australia's southeastern states to meet domestic gas needs, as regulators warn there could be shortages as soon as 2027. The global energy storage operator plans to charter a floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) to act as an import terminal to supply gas to the state of Victoria. While Vopak is seeking an FSRU with a capacity of 170,000 cubic metres, it has been "extremely difficult" to secure one after the Russia-Ukraine war drove Europe to secure more floating terminals to import more LNG, Kanters said. "We are in final talks with a FSRU provider to have an FSRU designated for this project," he said. The company aims to start operations at the terminal in 2029 when there will be a structural gas shortage, and would run for at least 10 years, Kanters said. "The Victoria market is somewhat difficult, but sometimes because it's a peak market, you need to build infrastructure to allow for accommodating peak demand," he added. Using an FSRU also provides flexibility for operators to react to Australia's gas needs which may decline if electrification of its economy gathers speed, Kanters said. "The FSRU can simply float away and will not leave any legacy infrastructure sitting there for tens of years that needs to find a home or needs to be depreciated," he added. Australia was the world's second-largest LNG exporter last year after the U.S., shipping over 81 million metric tons of the chilled fuel, according to Kpler data. Its major reserves however are mostly in the northwest, far from the southeast where most people live.
Reuters
21-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Vopak says it is confident in advancing Australia LNG import terminal after state overhauls laws
SYDNEY, May 21 (Reuters) - Dutch tank storage firm Vopak ( opens new tab said on Wednesday it was confident in advancing its proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal in Victoria, Australia's biggest gas-consuming state, after laws were passed to ease supply shortfalls. Vopak's Victorian Energy Terminal in Port Phillip Bay is one of four proposed across the southeast states to meet domestic gas needs, as regulators warn there could be shortages as soon as 2027. The projects have progressed slowly due to environmental concerns and regulatory hurdles. Under the Victorian state government's reforms, companies like Vopak can secure maritime leases while the project's environmental assessment process is underway, streamlining approvals. Previously, the assessments had to be concluded beforehand. Australia exports more gas than it consumes, but its major reserves are located mostly in the northwest, far from the southeast where most people live and demand is highest. Vopak's terminal would allow LNG carriers to use a floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) and supply gas into the current pipeline system without dredging. It is scheduled to be operational by 2029, after the company signed a front-end engineering design agreement with Hatch Engineering. Discussions with an FSRU provider are also 'well advanced', Vopak said. Vopak said in a statement the legislative change would 'provide security for the Crown maritime lease' it needed and allow it to 'undertake its development in the gas import terminal project with confidence'. 'The Vopak Victorian Energy Terminal offers a low impact yet essential solution for securing gas supply necessary to bring greater energy certainty to Victoria and Australia's eastern seaboard during the transition to net-zero.' 'This will ensure that manufacturers can continue to produce and innovate while the community's domestic heating and cooking needs are met.'
