Artificial reef off Point Nepean Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au AN artificial reef being installed off Point Nepean next month will give anglers a spot away from busy shipping lanes to catch yellowtail kingfish. The reef will have 16 large concrete structures set in clusters of four about 50 metres apart. “Identical concrete modules have been deployed off the New South Wales coast at Shoalhaven and have proven to be outstanding in attracting Yellowtail Kingfish,” Futurefish Foundation director David Kramer said. “They quickly obtain weed growth and provide a perfect reef in strong tidal waters.” Once in place, the Nepean reef will be the largest artificial reef in Victoria. Mr Kramer said he had first discussed the reef three years ago with Nepean MP Chris Brayne “to build a reef somewhere down towards Port Phillip heads and a reef that would attract highly prized yellowtail kingfish”. The plan was “coming to fruition … thanks to the state government’s $35 million investment in recreational fishing”. “Part of that investment was a commitment to install $2.5 million of new reefs in Port Phillip. The new kingfish reef is the last instalment of the program after three smaller reefs were placed in Corio Bay near Geelong in 2021,” Mr Kramer said. Mr Brayne said that in the past 15 years reefs had been installed off Frankston, Seaford, Chelsea, Aspendale, Altona, Portarlington, Geelong and St Kilda. “Most of these reefs have enhanced recreational fishing for schnapper after decades of scallop dredging destroyed natural habitat in the bay,” Mr Brayne said. Mr Kramer, a fishing broadcaster, writer and
Old tyres for the road A SECTION of Bentons Road in Moorooduc is open to traffic, but with a bitumen made from recycled tyres instead of the previously announced Plastiphalt Contractors and Mornington Peninsula Shire agreed on the new crumb-rubber asphalt pavement for the 1.6 kilometre stretch of the road. “It’s been a challenging ride with storms, material delays and COVID-19 isolation setting us back along the way. But we got there in the end, enjoy the road and drive safe,” Cr Lisa Dixon said (“Patience runs out as drivers ignore road barriers” The News 7/2/22). The 1450 tonnes of asphalt includes about 9200kg of recycled rubber (about 920 tyres) and 145 tonnes of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) which led to a 5-10 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions. The long-delayed work is part of the shire’s environmentally sustainable design policy for council buildings and civil works, which seeks to minimise the environmental impact of construction works. It also supports the 2030 target of shire having used 22,829 tonnes of recycled content in its civil or construction works.
Women’s day event
SIXTEEN concrete structures will be submerged off Point Nepean to create an artificial reef designed to be “home” for yellowtail kingfish, below, as caught by David Kramer. Pictures: Supplied tackle shop owner, said yellowtail kingfish had made “a remarkable return to Port Phillip, particularly in The Rip. However, the most popular place to fish for them is right in the middle of the shipping channel”. “This reef will not take anything away from the great fishing in The Rip, but will provide an alternative place to fish where it is less dangerous and not as busy with shipping.”
STALLHOLDERS, performers and artists will be celebrating International Women’s Day (6 March) in the grounds of the Pig & Whistle tavern, Purves Road, Main Ridge. A 500-capacity event aims to bring the community together to showcase Mornington Peninsula talent. Performers and speakers will be there, with local heroes such as the peninsula’s 2019 Australia Day Citizen of the Year and OAM recipient Josie Jones, musician Heidi Louise, poet Cr Sarah Race, singer songwriter Maxon, and singer Tanya George. There will be arts and crafts stalls, food trucks, cocktails, workshops, children’s entertainment and a final show in the shed with a host sing-along.
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Southern Peninsula News
23 February 2022
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