Media release – Jacquie Petrusma, Minister for Parks, 28 May 2022
Have your say on the Draft Orford Foreshore Masterplan
Tasmanians are invited to provide feedback on the draft Orford Foreshore Masterplan, which will guide future planning and management to better protect the values of the foreshore.
The draft Orford Foreshore Masterplan was prepared jointly by the Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) and the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council.
This plan particularly recognises the Important Bird Area (IBA) at the Prosser River mouth, where there are significant conservation values, and will provide future direction to support the community, council and PWS to better protect the values on the foreshore, including shorebirds.
The plan also identifies improved community access along the Orford Foreshore between Raspins Beach and Millingtons Beach.
We know that the mouth of the Prosser River is an Important Bird Area for seabirds and shorebirds with regional, national and international significance for shorebird conservation including for threatened species such as hooded plover and fairy terns.
The sandspit and adjoining areas are also popular for many recreational activities including walking, water-based activities, bird watching and bike riding on the adjacent pathway.
The draft masterplan includes advice from specialists and was developed following the engagement of a consultant to listen to stakeholders and community members.
I am pleased that this plan is being released for public consultation and I am looking forward to the community and public having a say on how their foreshore will be managed into the future.
For information on the Draft Orford Foreshore Master Plan visit the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council website’s Have Your Say page: gsbc.tas.gov.au/community-projects/community-consultation/
Submissions close on 28 June 2022.
Background
The Orford foreshore extending from Raspins Beach south to the end of Millingtons Beach, has been a popular place that attracts high levels of use and recreational activity by locals and visitors. The foreshore has also been a popular area used for a range of recreational activities including walking, bike riding, running, sailing, fishing, swimming, kayaking, boating, surf lifesaving, dog walking, picnicking and bird watching.
The foreshore has significant bio-conservation values with the mouth of the Prosser River, being recognised by BirdLife International as being an Important Bird Area (IBA) for seabirds and shorebirds.
The foreshore has been largely modified in response to coastal hazards and threats. The dynamic nature of the coastline and the influences resulting from climate change will continue to create littoral drift, coastal erosion and impose impacts on the seabird, shorebird and wildlife habitat.
Council and the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) engaged Inspiring Place to prepare a master plan that would address a range of issues and provide future direction for the foreshore.
The Orford Foreshore master plan provides the opportunity for developing strong policy guidance and to resolve issues at these sites in a sustainable manner. This document provides a summary of the draft Orford Foreshore Master Plan. The Plan, including the master plans and site concept plans, can be accessed on Council’s website.
The Plan has been prepared with review of past reports, consultation with a range of key stakeholders and agencies, site visits.
Key Issues
The following key issues have been identified from the background research, fieldwork and consultation with stakeholders and community groups:
impact of climate change and identified high risk for coastal erosion and inundation at Raspins Beach and Millingtons Beach in the future;
need for clarity about land tenure and management responsibilities, and in particular the unallocated Crown Land at the Orford Bird Sanctuary;
diversity of views, interests and mistrust in the process and outcomes regarding the management measures for the Orford Bird Sanctuary IBA, the Prosser River training walls and entrance channel within local community and agencies;
some local community concern about the outcomes and plantings used in rehabilitation behind Millingtons Beach (or have self-established over time including the colonisation by the native coastal wattle within re-planted foreshore areas);
lack of a management plan for the Orford Bird Sanctuary;
fire management, access and safety concerns with the remaining pine planting areas along Millingtons Beach;
responsibilities for the ongoing management and maintenance of the training walls and entrance channel;
lack of management/control of the access and trailer parking associated with the boat ramp;
age and condition of existing public toilets (Millingtons Beach) and need to be compliant to meet standards and user needs (Raspins Beach and Millingtons Beach);
management of weeds including pines (Pinus radiata and Pinus pinaster); and
managing the impacts of existing infrastructure (e.g., stormwater courses) and future upgrades and works.
Master Plans and Site Concept Plans
These plans indicate the possible opportunities to improve the Orford foreshore by:
widening the shared trail to better meet higher levels of use;
improving the layout of existing car parks to be more defined, allow for disability access, improve safety and connectivity for the shared trail users, overcome water ponding and limit damage to the root zone of trees;
reducing the impact of dogs on Raspins Beach;
formalise entry points onto the beaches – relatively minor works to improve safety, accessibility, visual impact and reduce erosion;
relocating sites and upgrading the interpretation panels;
making public toilets more DDA compliant and suitable for level of use;
supporting past revegetation work along Raspins Beach and community park with some other nominated areas for future work;
providing a layout for efficient and functional use of the boat ramp and access to trailer parking locations;
re-capturing foreshore land, organising better car parking and upgrading the small play area (near boat ramp) with conversion to a small nature-play facility;
addressing the unallocated Crown land outside of the critical Orford Bird Sanctuary and the need for preparing a Management Plan;
improving connectivity to the town centre and in the longer term, to the proposed Solis development;
accommodating and refining any site issues with the proposed upgrade of the sewer pump stations along the foreshore;
weed management priority and implementation;
providing alternative planting option for rehabilitation of the Millington Beach foreshore vegetation;
improving identification of beach access to and from Millingtons Beach;
improving the connectivity, safety, public toilets, control of car parking and access to Millingtons Beach car park; and
priorities for weed and land management.
Recommended Actions
The Plan sets out recommended actions for the next 10 years.
Recommended Actions in the Short Term (Complete within 2 Years)
Adopt the Orford Foreshore Master Plan as a document to guide future planning, development and management of recreation use and experiences along the foreshore.
Request Crown Lands to include the unallocated Crown land into the Public Reserve at Raspins Beach Extend the boundaries of the Orford Bird Sanctuary to capture the existing unallocated Crown land that was created by the dredging and channelising of the Prosser River mouth.
Confirm and formalise the long-term management and maintenance responsibilities and tasks for the Prosser River training walls and boat channel. This is to include specifications for ongoing access for management and maintenance purposes across the Public Reserve and Millingtons Beach Conservation Area.
Consider an amendment to the Council Dog Management Plan to extend the area for dogs prohibition on the beach area from north of the Orford Bird Sanctuary to the Sailing Club.
Continue consultation with TasWater over the upgrade to the sewer pumps and addition of holding tanks at Radar Beach and north of the Prosser Bridge.
Review the potential impacts of proposed upgrade of sewer and water mains between Solis and Raspins Beach, including the requirement for rehabilitation of the foreshore vegetation within Raspins Beach Conservation Area.
Upgrade the Raspins Beach public toilet to be DDA compliant.
Upgrade and widen the shared path between Our Park and the Orford town centre.
Consolidate access points to Millingtons Beach and install marker poles to improve beach access.
Undertake further trials for restoring a section of the Millington Beach foreshore with Eucalyptus viminalis (white gum) woodland with stabilising low height dune vegetation.
Prepare a detailed design concept and feasibility plan for the upgrading of the Prosser River boat ramp and trailer parking facilities.
Identify and seek future funding for the major works and improvements at Raspins Beach (refer to Map 3.4 Site Concept Plan).
Identify and seek future funding for the major works and improvements at Millingtons Beach (refer to Map 3.8 Site Concept Plan).
Prepare baseline surveys of the extent and condition of natural values at selected sites where visitor access and facilities exist.
Identify funding to allow an updated vegetation study to define the current extent and condition of threatened vegetation within the foreshore area.
Identify funding for investigation of aquatic flora of the Radar Beach backwater and Sheas Creek (at northern Raspins Beach) to assess potential occurrence of threatened flora species.
Start implementation of the recommended actions in Weed and Land Management Concept Plan (Appendix B).
Undertake an internal minor review of the Orford Foreshore master plan at least every two years.
Council should explore funding initiatives or volunteer programs to employ bird stewards during the shorebird breeding season to monitor potential issues and provide more direct protection.
Review and revise the previous NRM weeds pamphlet for community distribution.
Recommended Actions for the Mid Term (Complete within 5 years)
Prepare a management plan under the Crown Lands Act 1976 for the parcel of Public Reserve incorporating the Orford Bird Sanctuary to clarify management priorities and address a range of issues and options.
Implement proposed improvements at Radar Beach (refer to Map 3.5 Site Concept Plan) in conjunction with site works being undertaken by TasWater.
Implement proposed improvements at the site north of Prosser River (refer to Map 3.7 Site Concept Plan) in conjunction with site works being undertaken by TasWater.
Subject to funding, undertake major works and improvements at Raspins Beach (refer to Map 3.4 Site Concept Plan) Undertake works at Millingtons Beach to improve use and manage site impacts.
Formalising the access road and car parking and creating a safe track connection to Prosser River to allow for a continuous walk around Millingtons Beach subject to funding (refer to Map 3.8).
Upgrade of the public toilet at Millington Beach Upgrade and widen the shared trail from Raspins Beach to the Prosser Bridge.
Continue restoring a section of the Millington Beach foreshore with Eucalyptus viminalis (white gum) woodland with stabilising low height dune vegetation, based on the results of the trial.
Identify future funding for the proposed upgrade of the Prosser River boat ramp and trailer parking facilities.
Assess the options and costs for the removal of weeds from Millingtons Beach including Pinus radiata, Pinus pinaster and other species. Future vegetation works will need to be fully resourced to allow this happen over a 15-year period. The management statement for the Millingtons Beach Coastal Reserve Management Strategy 1998 provides a useful guide for future works.
Continue the program of rehabilitation of the foreshore vegetation Instigate regular monitoring of any site impacts at the selected foreshore sites.
Update vegetation study to define the current extent and condition of threatened vegetation within the foreshore area. Continue implementation of the recommended actions in Weed and Land Management Concept Plan (Appendix B of the report).
Undertake an internal minor review of the Orford Foreshore master plan at least every two years
Recommended Actions in the Long Term (Complete within 10 years)
Subject to funding, undertake upgrade of the Prosser River boat ramp and boat trailer parking areas including the other improvements (refer to Map 3.6 Site Concept Plan).
Continue restoring a section of the Millington Beach foreshore with Eucalyptus viminalis (white gum) woodland with stabilising low height dune vegetation, based on the success/results of the trial.
Subject to funding, commence works for the removal of weeds from Millingtons Beach including Pinus radiata, Pinus pinaster and other species.
Implementation of the management plan for the Public Reserve including the Orford Bird Sanctuary Assess the opportunity for a shared trail link between Raspins Beach and the Solis development.
Continue the program of rehabilitation of the foreshore vegetation Continue monitoring of site impacts at the selected foreshore sites.
Continue program of random visitor surveys to gain insight into visitor use and experiences at these selected foreshore sites.
Continue implementation of the recommended actions in Weed and Land Management Concept Plan (Appendix B) Investigate the feasibility of propagating and reintroducing Calendenia. filamentosa into suitable habitat in Millingtons Beach Conservation Area.
Investigate the feasibility of implementing ecological patch burns in Millingtons Beach Conservation Area.
Undertake a major review of the Orford Foreshore master plan within 10 years.
Read the full Draft Master Plan here: https://gsbc.tas.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/220325-Draft-Orford-Foreshore-Master-Plan.rs_.pdf.
