Stay by the Sea, Support the Coast

🌿 What does caring for the coast mean?

Well, it means lots of things! From maintaining the facilities and infrastructure across the 22 km of coastal Crown land we manage, to doing everything we can to protect our precious natural environment and restoring native vegetation.

🌱 Like this little Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood) tree – one of 250 plants of varying native species planted across our coastal reserves over the past three months.

Choosing the right plants for the right places helps restore habitat, support local biodiversity and ensure our coast continues to thrive for generations to come.

It`s all part of the everyday work that goes into caring for our coast. 💚

#CaringForOurCoast #BarwonCoast #CoastalConservation #Biodiversity

🐣🐣 Great news for our little Hoodies!

We`ve got two new Hooded Plover nests at 13th Beach, and the existing nest at Bluff South Dune (The Corner) is still going strong! 💚

🥚🥚🥚 13th Beach – Boings: 3 eggs
🥚 13th Beach – The Ant: 1 egg
🥚🥚🥚 Bluff South Dune – The Corner: Nest still in place!

We`re also keeping a close eye on three potential nesting sites at Bancoora – Black Rock, Breamlea and Wedge Street to Tuckfield Street at Ocean Grove/Collendina.

It`s encouraging news for these vulnerable little shorebirds, but there`s still a long way to go before any chicks successfully fledge.

If you`re heading to the beach, please give our Hoodies plenty of space, follow temporary signage and keep dogs on lead where required.

A huge shout-out to the wonderful Friends of the Hooded Plover – Bellarine volunteers, whose dedication, countless hours of monitoring and tireless efforts to protect these vulnerable little birds make such a difference. We`re so grateful for everything you do to give our Hoodies the best chance of survival! 💚🐣

👉 Read the latest nesting update on our website news page.

🐦 Calling all bird lovers!

The Aussie Bird Count is back from 19–25 October, and our friends at BirdLife Australia (@birdlifeoz) are inviting everyone to get involved!

Whether you`re exploring our beautiful coastline, relaxing in your backyard or visiting a local park, all it takes is 20 minutes to discover the birdlife around you.

It`s a fun, free way to connect with nature while contributing to important citizen science that helps us better understand Australia`s bird populations.

🌿 No birdwatching experience needed – just a keen eye and a little curiosity!

👉 Register now at https://aussiebirdcount.org.au and get counting!

🌱 Our fleet is getting greener! 🚗⚡

We`re making the switch to greener ways of working, with three electric cleaning carts and an electric car already part of our fleet – and an electric van joining us soon!

Even better, our electric fleet is partially powered by renewable energy generated by solar panels installed on some of our facilities. ☀️

It`s all part of our commitment to reducing our environmental footprint and finding more sustainable ways to care for the 22 km of coast we manage.

Small changes making a positive difference for our coast and community. 💚

#BarwonCoast #Sustainability #GreenFleet

🎬 Lights, camera, Barwon Heads!
We love seeing our beautiful coast in the spotlight! Tomorrow morning (Wednesday 14 October), a car commercial will be filmed around Lahey Square.

🚗 Temporary parking changes
Lahey Square car park will be closed from approximately 7am to 10.45 am, with some gravel parking along Jetty Road also unavailable during filming.
Parking will remain available at At The Heads and along Flinders Parade.
Thanks for your patience while the cameras roll – we can`t wait to see our coast on the telly! 📺🌊

While the risk of H5 bird flu in pets is extremely low, it`s best to take precautions.
If you`re out walking your dog or spending time outdoors:
✅ Keep dogs on a lead in areas with native wildlife
✅ Don`t allow pets to investigate or eat dead animals
✅ Stop cats from roaming and hunting wildlife
These simple actions help protect pets, wildlife and curbs the spread of disease.
If you suspect H5 bird flu in birds, mammals, poultry or other captive birds, report it immediately by calling the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 or to DEECA online.
Find out more at agriculture.vic.gov.au/birdflu
More information about responsible pet ownership and legal requirements: agriculture.vic.gov.au/animalwelfare

Seals are an important part of Victoria`s coastal landscape and our communities.
With H5 bird flu detected in seals in Victoria, it’s important not to touch sick, injured or dead seals and other marine mammals.
If you see a marine mammal that appears unwell:
Stay at least 30 metres away. Keep children and pets clear.
Do not touch, handle or attempt to move the animal
Avoid disturbing groups of seals resting on beaches or rocks
Report sick or dead wildlife
Limiting contact with potentially infected wildlife helps protect people, pets, livestock and other wildlife.
For more information, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/birdflu

💧 Barwon River water quality update

Good news! Barwon Water has confirmed that water quality in the Barwon River through Geelong has returned to normal background levels following recent testing.

Thank you to the community for your patience and understanding during this time.

For further information, please follow @BarwonWater and check their website for updates.

Some exciting Hoodie news! 💙🥚

One of the scrapes we’ve been keeping an eye on has officially become a nest, with a Hooded Plover pair laying eggs at Bluff South Dune – The Corner.

As you can see, these tiny, well-camouflaged eggs are sitting in some pretty rough terrain – a reminder of just how vulnerable Hooded Plovers are while nesting on our beaches.

If you’re visiting the area, please help give this pair the best chance of success:

💙 Steer well clear of the nesting area and give the birds plenty of space
💙 Keep dogs on lead and under control
💙 Walk close to the waterline and away from the dunes
💙 Never approach or disturb nests, eggs or birds

Fingers crossed for this little family! 🤞💙

🚧 Damage to Crater toilet block, Thirteenth Beach
The Crater public toilet block at the lower car park behind Barwon Heads Thirteenth Beach Surf Life Saving Club has been temporarily closed following significant damage to the building overnight.
The building has been secured and an urgent engineering assessment is underway to determine the extent of the structural damage.
Please respect all closure signage and barriers and stay clear of the building. The nearest public toilets are located at Beacon.
Victoria Police has been notified and anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to report it to police.
For more information and updates, visit our website: https://barwoncoast.com.au/damage-to-crater-toilet-block-at-13th-beach/