Science Alumni Volunteering 2020: Portarlington Beach Survey

It has been just over 2 years since a living mussel reef has been installed as part of Dr Rebecca Morris' work into alternatives for traditional breakwaters that are more environmentally friendly and increase biodiversity in our coastal environments. Join us on this important anniversary as we research what the reef has done for the surrounding environment.

Bring a friend or family member; children are welcome, too.

Schedule
11.00am 'Early birds' briefing and groups assigned

11.15am Beach profiling and live mollusc survey commences

12.30pm Lunch break (BYO lunch); Snacks and drinks provided

1.00pm Second briefing and groups assigned (for those arriving by ferry)

1.15pm Beach profiling and live mollusc survey continues

3.15pm End of activity (allowing people to catch the 4.30pm ferry)

What will volunteers do on the day? Volunteers will be involved in beach profiling transects to look at how the beach has changed over time with the addition of the reef, as well as conducting live mollusc surveys along the foreshore to determine if there has been any change in sediment communities.

In other words, you will be picking seashells and noting your observations of the coast!

What is the project about? Humans have a history of using hard structures to armour our shorelines against erosion and flooding. These hard structures are poor habitats for marine life and are very expensive to build and maintain. With support from the State Government and in collaboration with City of Greater Geelong Council we are trialing a sustainable solution to coastal defence using a mussel reef as a living breakwater. The reef has been in for 2 years, and has accumulated over 200m3 of sand on the beach. The mussels we put on the breakwater have survived, and there's been additional natural recruitment. The hope is that the mussels on the reef will continue growing and multiplying to provide sustained coastal defence into the future, as well as a reef habitat for marine life. Below is an image of the mussel reef, and our pilot volunteering day from December 2019.

How to get there Driving takes around 1h 30mins from Melbourne

Port Phillip Ferries also has a regular service that runs from Docklands' Victoria Harbour for $33 per adult:

• Docklands to Portarlington: Departs 10:40am, arrives 11:50am
• Portarlington to Docklands: Departs 4:30pm, arrives 5:40pm

The 35-minute walk from Portarlington Pier to Ramblers Road takes you along the coast.