Sandringham Foreshore Association Newsletter Summer 2014

SANDRINGHAM FORESHORE ASSOCIATION (SFA)

Founded January 2007
ABN 42947116512

A CHARITABLE NOT FOR PROFIT VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION

SFA
PO Box 52
Sandringham 3191
E-mail: sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au Website www.sandyforeshore.net.au

From the president of SFA

Dr Vicki Karalis

Welcome to our Summer edition of the SFA newsletter - the first issue for 2014.
I hope you are all enjoying these wonderful hot days on the beach!
Please lock in March 23rd Sunday from 11am - 12.30pm at the Sandringham
Lifesaving club for another Beach Walk and Talk, this time on the
Sandringham beaches. Last year's event at Half Moon Bay Lifesaving club
attracted a strong crowd of over 200 people. This year we are holding the event
with the Sandringham Lifesaving club. I will be speaking on the history of the

Sandringham beaches, how the cliffs & beaches were formed, rock geology,
coastal processes & demonstrate 5 million year old fossils found in the rocks.
Margaret Kent President of the Lifesaving Club will speak on water safety,
water surveillance, EPA warnings and tides. We ask for a donation of $10 per
family - all proceeds will go directly to the Sandringham Lifesaving club.
We are proud that Buxton's real estate donated $1000 upfront to the Club as
part of this fundraiser! We are grateful to Mark Earle and Buxton's who have
helped us in previous times. They have been great supporters of our local
community and continue to support our voluntary work when we need help!
(See their advertisement below.) Please bring your parents, children or
grandchildren to the Sandringham Lifesaving club for another Beach Walk and
Talk. The more the merrier!
Also in this issue, SFA are proud to profile Shirley Joy a long term local resident.
She is particularly active in helping to raise awareness of the history of
Sandringham and its coastline. You would have noticed she provided us
essential historical photos of our beaches. These have been particularly helpful
in understanding the changes to our coastline over many years. For our
newsletter, Shirley provides us another photo for our collection. It appears the
Red Bluff has not changed much over time.
BRASCA is a local not-for-profit group that regularly meet on a twice-monthly
basis (usually a Tuesday) for maintaining the local coastline flora including
weed-control and planting. They are inviting local residents to join their
Tuesday morning Working Bees and morning tea in Beach Park. It is a great
way to be in touch with our local environment and learn about our local
vegetation. Please see their ad below. The work they do is highly appreciated
by the community.
Ray Lewis has written a beautiful book titled 'Zen and the Art of Beachwalking'.
He takes us on a journey along our local Bayside coastline through his eyes and
shares his knowledge of our marine life and coastline - Ray describes to us the
finer environmental hot spots as if he is walking along side of us and teaches us
about the history, habitat, marine life and creatures in a fun and simple way.
The book is easy to read. It is also beautifully illustrated. Ray is so
knowledgeable; I have learnt so much about our local environment and marine
life through Ray. Snorkelling with Ray at the marine sanctuary at Ricketts point
is a brilliant experience (if you get the chance) as he is always willing to share
his knowledge. Ray was recently acknowledged with an Environmental Award

at the Australia Day presentations in Black Rock. Congratulations Ray! For

anyone wanting to purchase a copy of Ray's book, see details below. I highly
recommend it as a great read!
Strong south-westerly winds have now kicked in again with summer, and we
are witnessing loss of sand at the southern beaches, especially north of both
rock groynes. We expect beach erosion will recur in about 4 weeks time, and
will progress especially in March-April resulting in problems of cliff erosion as
we have witnessed in previous years at both Royal Ave and Southey St beaches.
See photo below. You would recall in response to this problem the Minister of
Environment and Climate Change, the Hon Ryan Smith appointed a community
expert coastal reference group hosted by the Department of Environment and
Planning Industry (DEPI) and Bayside City Council (BCC) last year to help
address local coastal Bayside issues. A workshop was held in October 2013
focusing on several issues including the Sandringham coastal processes. Since
then we met again with the appointed coastal engineer, and walked with him
along our beach with the aim of exploring long term environmentally sensitive
and sustainable solutions and management options - for restoring the
Sandringham beaches and preventing further erosion. We are confident of
achieving some real outcomes to help address the ongoing coastal erosion
problems that occur every year, especially in spring, late summer and early
autumn. We are meeting again with the coastal engineer soon at Bayside City
Council.
We are particularly grateful to Minister Ryan Smith, Travis Dowling, Mayor
Laurie Evans, Deputy Mayor Heather Stewart, Councillor Felicity Frederico,
Simon Finlay and Amy Hough of Bayside City Council, Sally Patterson of DEPI
and Murray Thompson our local MP for their ongoing interest and support in
SFAs efforts to help protect our foreshore in Sandringham.
SFA recently received repeated complaints about inappropriate Jet ski usage on
our foreshore. We wrote to Parks Victoria and Transport Safety Victoria in
relation to a recent complaint. We have included the letter of response from
the Manager of Ports Programs, Jo Richard, below for your interest. There
appears to be some positive changes to regulations now happening.
Have you experienced any problems with jet skis? Do you have any other
concerns or noted any problems along our beaches or coastline?
We would value your thoughts, concerns and feedback.
Yours with kindness, Vicki Karalis

JET SKIs ARE BACK ON OUR BEACHES!

Response to SFA on 28th January 2014.
"Dear Dr Karalis
Thank you for your email concerning the behaviour of jet skis in the
Sandringham area and I also note your previous concerns regarding this
issue.
Parks Victoria is currently installing revised boating and swimming zones in
Port Phillip Bay including in the Sandringham and Hampton areas. This has
been an ongoing project across Western Port and Port Phillip. The aim of the
revised zones are to
Create a safer local port environment by improved separation of
boating and swimming activities in high density bathing areas.
Create boating zones that are easy to understand allowing the boating
and other bay users to become more self-compliant.
The revised zones in the Sandringham area should be installed by mid Feb,
although the water based work is very weather dependent. The revised
zones will be clearly marked with yellow timber piles in the water and
corresponding land based signs.
In the area you have concerns the revised zones will see a revision of no
boating zones at the Sandringham and Hampton Life Saving Clubs and the 5
knot zone extended to 200m from shore in areas where vessels are permitted.
For more detailed maps please refer to the Parks Victoria Web page link
attached
http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/park-management/bay-and-waterwaysmanagement/boating-zones
Revised zones along with increased education in other parts of the bay
particularly where Jet Skis have been a concern before have seen improved
compliance by vessel owners as the new zones are better marked.

Jo Richards
Manager Ports Programs"

Clean Up Australia Day

Meeting Point: The Rotunda (foreshore)
Corner Beach Road and Melrose Street Sandringham
Date: March 2nd 2014
Start time: 10:30 AM
End time: 12:00 AM
This year Murray Thompson MP has arranged for a
bagpiper and trumpet player to entertain the volunteers
- we hope you can join us!

BLACK ROCK & SANDRINGHAM CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

( BRASCA Inc.)
Brasca is currently planting indigenous species along the local
foreshore.
At other times of the year we will be:
Weeding
Watering
Collecting seeds
Working Bee times are:
Every 1 and 3 Tuesday of the month - 10am to 11.30am
Morning tea - 11.30am to 12.30pm
st

rd

WELCOME
You are most welcome to join us or come for a try out.
Simply phone
Bob Whiteway 9502 0060 or Pat Salkin 9598 3146

Profile of SHIRLEY JOY -Sandringham resident

SHIRLEY JOY. SANDRINGHAM, VICTORIA.

January, 2014.

I have been a resident of Sandringham for over thirty years, but I am still regarded
by some as a newcomer, as many of the elderly residents of the area were born
here, and have no desire to leave.
Soon after taking up residence here, members of our family became involved in
the conservation movement, and have spent countless hours working in the clifftop region of Sandringham, planting out home-grown young native plants and
removing exotic varieties which inhibit the growth of the native species.
For several years our family and friends ran the Friends of Abbott Street
conservation group, working on the beachfront from the Rotunda area, at the west
end of Melrose Street, Sandringham, through to Jetty Road and adjoining Picnic
Point.
One of my lifelong interests has been history. After taking up residence in
Sandringham I commenced research into the history of the early Parish of
Moorabbin, the boundaries of which are South Road, Warrigal Road and the
coastline of Port Phillip Bay.

An initial project was the investigation into one of the first cemeteries in the
district the Wesleyan Beaumaris Cemetery on Balcombe Road, where my great,
great, grandmother lies buried under the houses. She was buried there in 1863.
Another fascinating area of research is the study of education systems in
Sandringham and Black Rock in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Many educational
centres were private schools that catered for kindergarten and primary school
children.
Over the Christmas period, 2013, I have validated the location of two more early
schools, the Wallace Private School, the site of which, in 2014, is known as Pocis
Restaurant, 417 Hampton Street, Hampton, and Castleton College, which was
located at No. 9 Arkaringa Crescent, Black Rock.
My interest in local history has, naturally, brought me into contact with the
historical societies located along the east coast of Port Phillip Bay. I am a member
of the Sandringham and District Historical Society, the Brighton Historical Society
and the Mordialloc and District Historical Society.
To those who are interested in aboriginal history, the history of the Port Phillip
District and the settlement of Melbourne and its environs, I can recommend
membership of a historical society as an informative and enjoyable activity.
SFA are grateful to Shirley for providing us historical photos of our local beaches.
Here are a couple of extra ones to add to our collection. Many have been
published in previous newsletters.

Red Bluff, Sandringham

Zen and the Art of Beachwalking is
a very recently published book by local
environmentalist, Raymond Lewis
OAM. This A5 sized publication is cram
full of beachside facts and includes
some 300 excellent images! Added to
this, a heavy dose of philosophy
pervades the pages, and each chapter
opens with an appropriate and usually
Zen-like quote. It's content has Port
Phillip Bay-wide applicability, but it
concentrates on what may be
experienced during a walk along the
foreshore for the few kilometres
between the Red Bluff at Half Moon Bay, and Table Rock at the
southern end of Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary. It is currently
stocked by the Beaumaris Book Shop at 24, South Concourse,
Beaumaris, and was published locally.
General enquiries can also be directed to
ray@lewisfamily.com.au

Where: Sandringham Lifesaving Club

When:
Time:

Sunday March 23rd

11am-12.30pm

Dr Vicki Karalis President SFA will speak on the history of the Sandringham beaches,
how the cliffs & beaches were formed, rock geology, coastal processes &
demonstrate 5 million year old fossils found in the rocks. Margaret Kent President
SLSC will speak on tides, water safety, surveillance & EPA monitoring
Cost: $10 donation* per family (grandparents, parents & children welcome)
*All contributions will be donated to the Sandringham Lifesaving club.

RSVP sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au

Lifesaving club membership enquiries membership.slsc@live.com.au

proudly sponsored by:

Proudly sponsored by

Sandringham beach 2nd February 2014:

Kung fu training at Abbot St beach:

Note the sand moving north due to prevailing southerly winds at Tennyson St
beach, typical of summer. The erosion is expected to recur at Royal Ave and
Tennyson beaches in about 4 weeks time pending on winds.

Removal of rock groynes restored Seaford Beach

We thought you might find this story interesting how Seaford Beach was
restored by removing the rock groynes...
http://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/letters/why-the-groynes-were-not-rebuilt-on-saeford-beach-15832523

We hope you have enjoyed reading the Summer edition of the SFA 2014
newsletter.
Yours with kindness,
Dr Vicki Karalis, SFA President
Assistant editors, SFA Newsletter: Helen Gibson & Cristian Silver
SFA committee members:
Alison Horton, Vice-President
Adrienne Smith, Secretary
Craig Francis, Treasurer
Ike Solomon, Engineer
Helen Gibson, Geologist
Paul Hede, Architect
Laurie Evans, Architect and Mayor of Bayside City Council