Planning for climate change

Published on 18 March 2024

Frankston City Council has been actively planning for climate change impacts, starting with the vulnerability assessment that informed Council’s Climate Change Strategy (2023) and the recent development of the draft Coastal and Marine Management Plan.

However, a better understanding of the future impacts of climate change around Port Phillip Bay is needed to inform the delivery of our climate action ambitions over the next decade, and Council has been eagerly awaiting the release of the Port Phillip Bay Coastal Hazard Assessment to further inform and refine future planning for our residents.

The data and reports, which were five years in the making, build on a range of existing models and studies, and combine the latest science, modelling and technical assessments to better understand current and future coastal hazards around the bay.

The work we have already done to improve our climate resilience along the foreshore includes both nature-based and built infrastructure treatments. Our ongoing reinforcement of the sand dune barrier through effective native vegetation management is among the most important nature-based adaptation solutions. This is further supported through renewal and extension of erosion control fencing with the most recent works completed in 2023 at the Seaford North precinct.

The historical use of coastal protection structures such as the rock wall in front of the Seaford Lifesaving Club or the seawall at Olivers Hill are complemented by smaller-scale projects that focus on immediate improvements to accessibility. Solutions such as the installation of additional steps and ramp length to accommodate seasonal erosion respect the natural coastal processes, focusing on sustainable use of the coastal reserve.

Frankston City is well placed to start incorporating and expanding on the Port Phillip Bay Coastal Hazard Assessment findings as we commence the work on the Frankston City's Coastal Resilience 2100 Project and undertake a local Coastal Hazard exposure, risk and vulnerability assessment. This project will inform Council’s long-term adaptation pathway as it follows Stages 1–4 of the Victoria’s Resilient Coast framework.

The Coastal Resilience 2100 project will build on the regional data and information from other studies by providing local and site-specific, long-term coastal hazard risk management solutions. It will provide a far better understanding of the localised climate change implications for our neighbourhoods and enable community discussions on actions and next steps to progress adaptation.