The Kingston Foreshore stretches for over 13km and for the majority of its length it is an unbroken, sandy beach. The foreshore is home to a wide range of plant species and various species of local and migrating fauna. The foreshore supports many recreational activities attracting thousands of visitors every year.
The foreshore can be separated into two key sections; Aspendale to Carrum Foreshore and Mentone to Mordialloc Foreshore
Foreshore natural environment
The Kingston foreshore has been recognised as having high conservation values with the presence of local, regional and state significant flora species. Foreshore vegetation plays an important role in stabilising the dunes, providing habitat and a food source for local and migrating fauna, and is aesthetically pleasing. The foreshore natural environment is managed by maintaining and restoring biological diversity through the protection, maintenance and restoration of ecological processes, indigenous flora and fauna communities, habitats and gene pools.
The foreshore is home to a wide range of activities with each visitor using the foreshore in their own individual way. Whether it is to walk the dog along the beach, fish off Mordialloc Pier, hold Life Saving Club carnivals and training, celebrate food and wine festivals, or just walk along the beach and appreciate nature, the foreshore is firmly entrenched in the Kingston communities psyche. Council promote recreational beach activities through providing facilities able to be utilised by a wide range of beach-goers.
The shape of Port Phillip Bay is continually changing as a result of sand migration and erosion. In Kingston, there is a net movement of sand from north to south as a result of wind and waves pushing sand in a southerly direction until it meets a physical barrier. This littoral drift results in a narrowing of beaches on the south side of physical barriers e.g. Carrum and Aspendale, and a widening of the beaches on the northern side of these barriers e.g. Mordialloc beach (due to Mordialloc Pier blocking sand movement). When undertaking works on the foreshore such as installing physical barriers and beach renourishments, the impact on sand movement must be carefully considered.
Kingston City Council employ a number of measures to mitigate the affects of coastal erosion, depending on the severity of the threat and location limitations. Examples of such measures include:
- Dune Revegetation - natural barriers are the best possible protection against coastal processes. Vegetation assists in stabilising and strengthening the dune system whilst also providing habitat for native fauna
- Erosion Control Fencing - to assist in dune stabilization and vegetation establishment
- Rock Walls - consisting of strategically placed sloping rock which acts as armour against high energy wave and tide action, often used to protect assets under severe threat of erosion
- e.g. Carrum Beach north of LSC
- Sand Bag protection - similar to rock walls, sand bags provide armour protection against wave and tide action, typically used in scenarios less severe to rock wall requirements
- e.g. north Aspendale Beach.
- Seawalls – within Kingston seawalls were historically constructed from bluestone during the depression era. They are often the ‘last line of defence’ against coastal erosion and can predominantly be seen from Mentone to Mordialloc along the beach promenade
The EPA Victoria monitors water quality at 36 Port Philip Bay beaches with water samples collected at Beach Report sites every week during the summer. The Beach Report program has been designed to inform the public about the water quality at beaches around the Port Philip Bay through daily forecasts. This means you can make informed decisions on where to swim. yarraandbay.vic.gov.au
Please note that the EPA advises against swimming near storm-water and river outlets 24-48 hours after heavy rain.
Kingston is home to five beach patrol groups, an organised network of volunteers (defined by suburb) helping to clean the beaches of Melbourne. Check the website to find your nearest group and volunteer for the next clean up. www.beachpatrol.com.au
Beach Cleaning Services
Council undertakes regular cleaning of the foreshore from Carrum to Mentone. Cleaning activities include mechanical beach cleaning, litter and recyclable bin collection, manual litter collection, mechanical sweeping of foreshore paths and the removal of accumulated seaweed.
Beach cleaning frequencies are scheduled to coincide with the summer and winter seasons. The beach is mechanically cleaned once a week from 1st Nov - 30th April with high priority areas located around surf life saving clubs cleaned twice a week during the summer peak 8th Dec – 31st Jan. During the cooler months the beach is mechanically cleaned on a monthly basis. Between 1st May – 31st Oct
Litter and recycle bin collection and manual litter collection services are also undertaken according to the summer and winter seasons with additional cleans scheduled to coincide with major events and school holidays.
During the summer months a large accumulation of seaweed can gather at the Charman Road, Mentone dog off leash area. This natural occurrence is due to a combination of north westerly winds and tide levels. Council and the cleansing contractors monitor this on a regular basis with appropriate action taken to have the seaweed removed as soon as possible dependent on weather conditions, tide levels and beach activity.