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https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/the-painstaking-race-to-save-a-renowned-victorian-experience-20240929-p5ked9.html>
"Huddled together, blasted by icy winds, waiting to catch a glimpse of tiny
penguins waddling ashore.
It’s a core memory for countless Victorians and interstate and international
tourists. But a few paces inland, in the precious Phillip Island coastal
vegetation, another spectacle is unfolding.
Installation of a new elevated boardwalk has started in recent weeks. And just
like the tourists who will eventually traverse its length, those installing the
steel beams have been careful not to trample over penguin nesting grounds.
Helicopters have been used to carry each piece of steel into place, avoiding
the need for heavy vehicles.
Wildlife officers have also been on-site, keeping an eye out for any
too-curious penguins.
It’s all part of a $5 million refresh originally meant to be finished by July
this year. The deadline was pushed back by six months – along with a slew of
other infrastructure projects – in May’s state budget.
The race is now on for the new boardwalk and viewing stands to be finished by
December – in time for the peak tourism season – and help the region bounce
back from the pandemic slump. Summer is considered the best time to visit
Phillip Island, home to the world’s largest colony of little penguins.
Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos said the new “looped walking experience”
would allow for greater accessibility and improve visitor flow.
But tender documents, seen by
The Age, suggest ongoing coastal erosion
exacerbated by climate change is also why the concrete viewing platforms –
originally built in the 1960s – need to be upgraded.
“Erosion of sand from in front of and adjacent to the Penguin Parade viewing
stands has been a management issue since their construction,” a coastal
processes study from February this year says."
Via
Guardian Australia
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
