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Chelsea leads way in reef restoration CHELSEA has been selected as the site of the country’s first shellfish reef restoration project under a groundbreaking partnership between the state government and one of the world's largest conservation groups. The Nature Conservancy has joined forces with the Department of Environment and Primary Industries in a threeyear project to identify the most effective means of resurrecting decimated shellfish colonies within Port Phillip. Colonies of shellfish such as muscles, oysters and scollops are recognised as a critical element in bay health, providing a vital habitat and food source for a wide spectrum of marine life while also acting as natural filtration system to improve water quality. But decades of destructive practices such as trawl fishing, dredging and pollution have all but wiped out Port Phillip’s most significant shellfish beds, with marine scientists declaring the bay’s reefs to be “functionally extinct”. Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh said reversing the destruction of shellfish reefs was a critical component in improving the health of the bay and rebuild fish stocks. He unveiled details of the ambitious reef restoration project last Saturday, revealing Chelsea, Geelong and Hobsons Bay had been selected for a pilot study in which specially bred oysters would be used to restock depleted beds. “The pilot project will use native flat oysters raised at the Department of Environment and Primary Industries’
Queenscliff hatchery to re-establish shellfish presence on reefs in the bay, and is expected to significantly improve fish habitat and recreational fishing opportunities,” Mr Walsh said. “While this is the first Australian reef restoration effort, the project will test a range of reef restoration methods based on successful overseas experiences.” The Nature Conservancy will contribute $150,000 while the state will provide $120,000 from the Coalition’s $16 million Recreational Fishing Initiative. Nature Conservancy director of conservation Dr James Fitzsimons said shellfish reefs were the most threatened marine habitat on earth, with 85 per cent of oyster reefs having been completely lost. Efforts to restore shellfish reefs would significantly boost fish numbers, create more clean water and increase recreational fishing opportunities, he said. “Around the world, considerable progress is being made to restore estuarine reefs that increase biodiversity, improve fishery productivity and filter the water,” Dr Fitzsimons said. The Port Phillip project is the first stage of the Nature Conservancy’s Great Southern Seascapes program, which aims to restore habitat across southern Australian waters. “Our program will focus on habitat restoration, both in the water and on the coast, and encourage local people to get involved through different volunteer activities,” Dr Fitzsimons said. Chris Brennan
All lit up: Lights add a new dimension to club training nights. Melbourne Victory players Kosta Barbarouses and striker Besart Berisha show local footballers their ‘keepy uppy’ skills. Picture: Yanni
Light relief grounds for celebration CELEBRATIONS to mark the completion of sports field lighting projects at Glen Street Reserve and Parkdale Secondary College began with a ceremonial flicking of the switch on Monday night. Kingston Mayor, Cr Paul Peulich, and the Minister for Sport and Recreation Damian Drum did the honours. “Kingston residents are heavily involved in community and school sport and this popularity means the council has focused on increasing capacity for night time training at a number of our reserves,” Cr Peulich said. “Sporting clubs and teams are the lifeblood of communities here in Kingston and investing in sport and recreation is important in fostering a strong, healthy and connected city.” Glen Street Reserve is the home
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Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 6 August 2014
ground of the Edithvale Aspendale Junior Football Club which has around 360 children and 250 families playing footy. The $143,000 project was made possible through contributions from the state government ($71,000), the City of Kingston ($56,000) and the footy club ($15,000). Prior to the installation of lighting at Glen St, Edithvale Aspendale Juniors shared the nearby Regents Parks Reserve with the Edithvale Aspendale Seniors. School football players also train at the ground. “As you can imagine, the ground conditions at Regents Park suffered under the increased traffic load with a negative impact on winter and summer users of Regents Park. This new lighting at Glen St will rectify that,” Cr Peulich said.
The lighting project for Parkdale Secondary College strengthens the partnership between the City of Kingston, the state government and Parkdale Secondary College formed through the development of a community sporting precinct at the college. The City of Kingston and the state government contributed $90,000 each to the $180,000 project. The precinct will now be capable of providing training and playing fields for the college as well as the Aspendale Sporting Club’s 150 participants. “The installation of appropriate sports ground lighting to allow mid-week training activities during the winter months was pivotal to ensuring we maximised the use of this wonderful new facility,” Cr Peulich said.