Autumn Issue – March 2012 SANDRINGHAM FORESHORE ASSOCIATION (SFA) Founded January 2007 ABN 42947116512 A CHARITABLE NOT FOR PROFIT VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION SFA PO Box 52 Sandringham 3191 E-mail: sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au Website www.sandyforeshore.net.au UPCOMING EVENTS: Clean Up Australia Day March 4th Sunday 10am-11.30am

We invite you to join one of the following groups this Sunday: Abbott Street Carpark Catherine Lancaster Sandringham VIC 3191 Bayside City Council Foreshore Rotunda - Murray Thompson Sandringham VIC 3191 Bayside City Council Sandringham Beach - Vicki Black Sandringham VIC 3191 Sandringham foreshore Jo Hurse Sandringham VIC 3191 Sandringham Yacht Club Cameron Duck Sandringham VIC 3191 Bayside City Council On a traditional note, once again our local MP Murray Thompson has organised the bagpiper to entertain us at the Sandringham Rotunda. You can register your interest with the following link: http://www.cleanupaustraliaday.org.au/join/?location=sandringham&kw=

The Mad Paddle

Community Event 18 March 2012 Individual or Team entries For details and entries, visit www.supvic.com 30 km plus downwind ending at Sandringham Yacht Club where a BBQ lunch for paddlers, friends, families, celebrities and our local community will take place to celebrate Silent and Live auction items. All proceeds to Sandringham Hospital raising funds for a $25,000 mobile ultrasound unit for the emergency department. For inquiries contact Felicity Frederico 0425 296 845 Or Kathy Naoumidis 0411 406 927 Indigenous history of Half Moon Bay and our local beaches SFA are organising a free community event in May/June 2012 with special guest speaker and local resident Dr Valerie Tarrant PHD (Doctrine  on  Melbourne’s  Indigenous  Plants  Movement: The return of the Natives 2005 Deakin University) to discuss the life and activities of local Aborigines in the past. We will have the opportunity to see first-hand middens, Aboriginal wells and hear about how our ancestors lived and what they ate at Half Moon Bay. The SFA respectfully acknowledges the original custodians of the Bayside foreshore that include the Boonerwrung and Wurundjeri Tribe of Aborigines for their rich culture, deep affinity with the land and spiritual connection to it.1 Are you available to help us promote the event and be involved with other SFA activities? Do you have skills to help make this event a success? If so, please e-mail sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au

1 O’Toole,  G.  The Sandringham Historical Series No1. Published by the Sandringham City Council (Black Rock House Sub-Committee) 1991.

LATEST NEWS

Death sparks more calls for Jet Ski restrictions:

Following the tragic death of a 51 year old gentleman after being struck in the head by a high powered Jet ski at Port Melbourne beach on February 26th, SFA have called on Bayside City Council to help address this issue here locally in liaison with the relevant bodies such as Parks Victoria. A number of locals have expressed concern with jet skis riding close to swimmers, even up to the shoreline, and particularly on busy crowded days here at our local Bayside beaches. Water police are doing their best. We often see them chasing jet skiers to provide warnings and fine offenders. However, we believe tougher restrictions and no mixed zones for Jet Skis with swimmers should apply. We appreciate that this is not a simple fix. Finding a suitable area that would welcome jet skis to operate exclusively is probably not that straight forward. Other areas that we feel need to be revisited are noise, licensing, the skill, age and mental capacity of Jet Ski operators. Jet skis and incidents such as this are well documented world-wide.

Click on following link for article on this issue published in the Age newspaper on 27th February 2012:

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/death-sparks-calls-for-more-jetski-restrictions-20120226-1twkp.html

SFA MEDIA RELEASE 26th Feb 2012 “Swimmers  and  Jet  skis  just  don’t  mix”   The Sandringham Foreshore Association (SFA) is not surprised by the recent head injury following the impact from a fast moving Jet Ski of a 51 year old at Port Melbourne yesterday.  “This  is  a  tragic  accident  that  was  bound  to  happen  sooner  or  later,  and  its time authorities  review  the  laws  about  jet  skiers  especially  near  popular  swimming  beaches”  says  Dr Vicki Karalis a medical practitioner and President of the SFA. With temperatures soaring up to 39 degrees yesterday and beaches heavily populated with swimmers and children, there  is  just  no  room  for  jet  skis.  “There  are  many  jet  skiers  who  are  cautious  but  there  are  equally many jet skiers who are not following the rules. This is similar to cars and road accidents. You will always have your cautious drivers  and  your  reckless  ones.”  The  beaches  are not roads and should not be an experiment for local traffic laws. Safety is of paramount importance for beach users and children who go to the beach to relax. Jet skis move at incredible speed and are not only an environmental concern to marine life, but a real hazard for  swimmers”.   Dibbie a 92 year old daily swimmer of the local Sandringham beaches yesterday witnessed a male who steered a jet ski to the shoreline surrounded by swimmers and children. Again, the same  driver  came  to  the  foreshore  this  morning.  “The  situation  is  getting  worse,  especially  in  the  last  2  years”.  It  may  be  that  more  and  more  people  are  purchasing  jet  skis  explaining the increase traffic on our local beaches.

Alison is a mother of two children and regular user of the beach at Half Moon Bay where jet skis  launch  from  the  ramp  has  also  witnessed  recurring  concerns  with  jet  skis.  “I’ve  seen  them fly in and out. They come right up to the beach where they are not meant to be. The worse situation I have witnessed was last summer when a mother allowed their 3-4 year old to steer the Jet Ski in the swimming area of Half Moon Bay whilst she sat at the back, and my daughters were swimming right in front of them. When I told the mother this was unacceptable  she  looked  at  me  aghast  that  I  should  raise  this  with  her.”   Yesterdays Cerberus swimming event attracted about 800 swimmers at Half Moon Bay. Andy  was  a  spectator  at  the  event  and  saw  up  to  12  jet  skis  passing  swimmers.  “Most  were  cautious but there were a couple of riders who exceeded the 5 knot speed limit. There were up to 60 children jumping off the pier. It is not uncommon that children jump off the pier at Half  Moon  Bay  awfully  close  to  where  jet  skis  come  in  and  out  of  the  Bay.”   Whilst water police are doing their best to fine jet skis when they break laws and warn children who jump off piers, but children will be children. The case of the gentleman yesterday at Port Melbourne swimming near the pier is a good example where swimmers are not familiar with local beach laws and it is difficult for riders of jet skiers to see them ...who would expect restrictions when in the not too far past, there were few restrictions for swimmers? SFA says its time authorities review laws for jet skis; create restrictions especially during popular beach use and increase markers on these beaches near piers and in swimming areas. They are a new introduction to popular swimming beaches in the last 10 years or so, and  a  real  hazard  and  risk  to  swimmers.  “We  don’t  want  to  wait  for  another  disaster  before  authorities  act”,  stresses  Dr  Vicki  Karalis.  “It’s  only  a  matter  of  time  another  injury  will  occur.  Greater care is required to help create safer beaches for  swimmers  and  jet  skiers.”  

In Memoriam: Vale Associate Professor Jim Peterson (1939 — 2012)

The SFA is saddened by the recent death of A/Professor Jim Peterson, a prominent coastal geomorphologist and an enthusiastic supporter of the Sandringham Foreshore Association for several years. He sadly passed away on 7 January 2012. A champion of coastal geomorphology and archaeology across Australia and the world, A/Prof Jim Peterson will be remembered for his dedication and voluntary work for our community, as a respected colleague, educator, mentor and friend. Jim prepared a number of expert reports for SFA, some  of  which  are  available  on  SFA’s  website.  We extend our sincere sympathy and condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. Vicki Karalis attended Jim’s  memorial  on  behalf  of  SFA at Monash University.

Prof. Jim Peterson (1939 -- 2012)

Prof. James Andrew Peterson, friend and highly valued colleague to all in the School of Geography and Environmental Science and to the wider community of scholars, passed away on 23 January 2012 aged seventy-three.

Peterson undertook his undergraduate degree at the University of Tasmania (1957-1960) and began publishing on the glaciation of Frenchmans Cap (the subject of his Honours thesis) and other geomorphic topics in the mid 1960s. He subsequently undertook summer field seasons in northern Canada, extending his knowledge of cirques and cirque glaciers, and completing an MSc thesis on the Whitegull Lake area in Labrador at McGill University in 1964. Having returned from Canada, Peterson joined the then Department of Geography at Monash to undertake his PhD research.

His  seminal  thesis,  “The  cirques  of  south-eastern  Australia”,  in  two  large  volumes,  was submitted on 1 February 1969. Subsequently, Peterson faced the issue of just what a glacial specialist would teach in an Australian university, on a mainland lacking even permanent snow. With his usual enthusiasm and wise scholarship Peterson developed popular and influential courses dealing with coastal geomorphology, with the volcanic landforms of western Victoria, and began training students in fieldwork and sound scientific observation.

Always keen on new approaches and new methods, he was quick to embrace new methods of remote sensing and satellite observation that were in their infancy in the early 1970s. With his graduate students, Peterson built up facilities to support the use of these new research tools and extended these in stages as rudimentary remote sensing gave way to increasingly sophisticated geospatial mapping and modelling. He was the foundation Director of the geographical information systems laboratory in the School and this stands as

one  of  the  notable  legacies  of  Peterson’s  time  at  Monash University; it reflects his belief that, for the School to succeed, it needed to embrace new methods and remain at the leading edge of innovative teaching and research.

Peterson’s  legacy  also  includes  the  many  thousands  of  undergraduate  students  whom he taught and inspired and a substantial cohort of research students, many of whom are now in significant academic or Governmental positions. His colleagues will greatly miss a man of wisdom and integrity, ever cheerful, and with a unique and stimulating view of how academic life can and should be lived.

Source: Monash University, Faculty of Arts

http://artsonline.monash.edu.au/news-events/2012/01/24/in-memoriam-vale-associate-professor-jim-peterson-1939-2012/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=in-memoriam-vale-associate-professor-jim-peterson-1939-2012

Bayside City Council update Dredging of Half Moon Bay public boat ramp Bayside City Council dredged a small area in front of the public boat ramp at Half Moon Bay on 27 February. A long arm excavator completed the works in three hours, deepening the area in front of the ramp to approximately 0.6 m below low water mark and all dredged sand was placed in the water nearby. Due to weather conditions there were no boaters and few visitors to the area and there was no disruption to the beach or use of other facilities. It is expected that this operation will ensure that the boat ramp is kept open over the coming months before a larger, more comprehensive dredging operation is carried out later in the year. Thanks again Vicki Kind Regards Joe Lockhart Open Space Projects Officer Bayside City Council SFA value our relationship Bayside City Council who we meet on a regular basis to raise any concerns with our local beaches and address areas that require attention. If you have any concerns, feel free to write to us: sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au Application for the removal of indigenous/native vegetation for the construction of the Bayside Coastal Trail (path).Planning Application 2012/37/1, Beach Road, Beaumaris

The Beaumaris Conservation Society Inc, (BCS Inc.) has recently lodged an objection to the above application for the removal of indigenous/native vegetation for the construction of the Bayside Coastal Trail (path). The proposal incurs the removal of more than 100 mature indigenous trees, much soil and understorey vegetation for the construction of a 2.5 metre concrete road with associated 2.0 metre buffer strips, for use by cyclists and pedestrians. For more information, click on following link to BCS website: http://www.beaumarisconservation.net/ Our local foreshore today North of Royal Avenue groyne at Royal Ave Sandringham beach 29 February 2012

North of Southey St groyne at Southey St Sandringham beach 29 February 2012

SFA member profile John Amiet: Sandringham resident, Chairman of the SFA, SFA webmaster, professional photographer. A gentleman dedicated to our local community for many years

John Amiet trained and worked as an engineer, taught for several years, but has spent the major part of his life following one of his passions. Photography! He has lived in Bayside for 58 years and in latter times, spending at least an hour a day on the beach, with his other passion. Merlin, his German Shepherd Dog. He is a prominent competitor in the annual International One Challenge photography competition, which takes place in a different capitol city each year. John won the competitions in Krakow and Venice and finished third in Paris. He has published eight photography book on his international travels and they can be viewed at the following  link,  which  contains  ‘clickable’  links  for  viewing  the  books. http://www.johnamietphotographer.com.au/Books.html There is also a facility to buy the books. All the very best over the autumn period Dr Vicki Karalis, SFA President