Share your input on coastal adaptation planning
Published on 14 March 2025
Community members are invited to join the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA) for community engagement sessions on coastal adaptation planning.
To help us strengthen resilience now and into the future, GORCAPA is developing a Regional Coastal Adaptation Plan to manage coastal hazard risks across the coast and parks.
Our coast is dynamic and ever-changing with natural processes such as erosion, storm tide inundation, and cliff failure shaping the coastline we see today.
While there are many steps involved in coastal hazard adaptation, exploring and understanding community knowledge and values of our coast are at the heart of the process.
Community input will be used to create a new plan to respond to coastal hazard impacts from Torquay to Warrnambool.
Workshops are happening now along the coast and provide opportunities to:
- Learn about our coastal adaptation planning approach
- Explore the data shaping decisions around coastal hazard management
- Share your insights, values and local knowledge.
Upcoming sessions include:
- Warrnambool Community Drop-in - Downstairs at the Pavilion Café from 11am-2pm Wednesday 19 March
- Apollo Bay / Marengo / Skenes Creek Workshop @ the Apollo Bay Golf Club, 10am - Midday Friday 21 March.
- Jan Juc Workshop@ Jan Juc Surf Club, 5-6:30pm Wednesday 26 March
- Online Workshop (Day): 10am-11:30am Tuesday 25 March via Microsoft Teams
- Online Workshop (Evening): 7-8:30pm Wednesday 26 March via Microsoft Teams.
The session in Warrnambool is held jointly with Warrnambool City Council as an opportunity for community members to provide input into a both ‘regional scale’ adaptation plan and a ‘local scale’ adaptation plan (or resilience plan) that will work together to address immediate, medium and longer-term actions to strengthen resilience now and into the future.
A grant from Victoria’s Resilient Coast grants program supports this vital work, which aligns with the Marine and Coastal Policy 2020 and Victoria’s Resilient Coast – Adapting for 2100+ framework and guidelines.
For more information visit Have Your Say.
Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority Coastal specialist Robert Armstrong said:
"The community's values and experiences will help us shape the approach to coastal adaptation planning.
With a changing coast and climate, we must continue to adapt and prepare for impacts like increased wave action, storm activity and sea level rise.
While there are many steps involved in coastal hazard adaptation, exploring and understanding community knowledge and values of our coastline are at the heart of the process.
We're in the early stages of planning and eager for locals and visitors to have their say.
Local knowledge will provide a foundation for confirming coastal values and objectives, coastal processes, and tailoring adaptation options.”