Summer Issue December 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 Become a member of SFA SFA is a not-for-profit voluntary association. We encourage you to fill out the form attached or download the form from our website to become a full member. Please pass this email onto as many people as you like who may share an interest in becoming a member of the SFA. Membership is free of charge. Please write to us. We value your feedback!!

http://www.sandyforeshore.net.au/

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Summer by the Sea 2013

During January the Victorian coast comes alive with summer activities for kids and adults of all ages! Participate in family friendly activities stretching right across the coastline, such as rock-pool rambles, kayak adventures, marine monitoring, nature walks, geology adventures and snorkelling safaris. Sandringham Foreshore Association are excited to be involved again, and Vicki will be conducting a presentation and guided tour about Baysides changing dunes, the summer/winter beaches, fossil discoveries, impacts of climate change and coastal processes. Wednesday 16th January 5.30 - 7pm. Meet at Brighton Life Saving Club, Esplanade Brighton, (Melways map 67, B12) Booking essential (03) 9599 4444 or email brighter@bayside.vic.gov.au To find out more about other activities: www.dse.vic.gov.au www.bayside.vic.gov.au

Bird baths We need your help to maintain Water baths for birds in Sandringham, Hampton and Brighton! Get Fit and Help Wildlife - Volunteers Required

mailto:brighter@bayside.vic.gov.auhttp://www.dse.vic.gov.au/http://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/

There are 3 bowls at Picnic Point, 1 at Green Point and 2 at Brighton beach. If interested please contact Vicki Karalis at sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au Some time ago Ian Parsons and Elizabeth Walsh of the Friends of Native Wildlife (FoNW) had a great idea while surveying along a cliff top. Eight years later it has finally come to fruition. The idea was to provide shallow water bowls for wildlife along the frequently dry cliff tops. Since 2004 and after numerous walks between Beaumaris and Brighton the Bayside Friends of Native Wildlife have listed all the water taps they could find, with Val LaMay taking GPS readings of the most suitable sites for water bowls under listed taps. There were already a few dog bowls but they were too deep for safe access by skinks. Shallow bowls are more suitable for a variety of small birds and reptiles. During recent years of severe drought, the lack of water along the foreshore became more evident. Small bird populations dropped significantly and blue tongue lizards became uncommon. Water helps birds digest seeds obtained from grasses and shrubs, especially when the food supply is also under stress from drought, the plants themselves being drier than usual. Barbara Jakob, co-ordinator of the Friends Network, obtained a grant to have the bowls made by Beaumaris Art Group and students at the Hampton Community Centre. Stephan from Citywide has concreted in most of the bowls and arranged re-plumbing of taps where suitable. Wildlife is already using numerous bowls which have been cemented into place. The superb blue wren, thornbills, silver-eyes and scrub-wrens have been seen, along with larger birds, skinks and the occasional blue tongue lizard. Its also been a joy to watch birds bathing in the new bowls! We are looking for volunteers in various areas to regularly clean and fill some of these bowls, especially during the warmer months. The more helpers the better, to cover holidays and make sure water is available. There are a variety of taps over the bowls and FONW have been provided with tap keys for volunteers to use on taps without handles. There are bowls located along Brighton, Sandringham, Black Rock and Beaumaris foreshores.

mailto:sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au

I find it easy to fit the work into a stroll; I use an old dish-brush from the kitchen for cleaning, and carry a one-litre container of water to use where extra scrubbing is required, or where a tap is not refilling the bowl properly. We would love to have photos of wildlife using any of these bowls. They can be sent to: bayfonw@hotmail.com Thank you to Ian Parsons for his original chat and long walks, Val LaMay and her GPS; Barbara Jakobs of the Friends Network for funding for pottery bowls; to the teachers and students who made them; Stephan Kuzma for concreting the bowls along the cliff-top and Citywide for full implementation of the project and Council staff for their support. Please contact Elizabeth Walsh on 9598 9009 (messages always attended to).

Elizabeth Walsh giving a guided tour along our cliffs on native vegetation.

Photo by Vicki Karalis, 2012

mailto:bayfonw@hotmail.com

Bayside City Council SFA value our relationship with Bayside City Council who meet with us on a regular basis to raise any concerns about our local beaches, and to discuss areas that require attention. If you have any concerns, feel free to write to us: sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au Draft Bayside Coastal Management Plan 2012/13 Sandringham Foreshore Association thank Bayside City Council for early consultation with the community in developing the draft Bayside Coastal Management Plan 2012/13 Council will consider, at its meeting on 18 December, release of the draft Discussion Paper for the next stage of community consultation. You may recall the Open Coast weekend; on-line survey; stakeholder consultation and desk top review, comprised the first phase of consultation. The consultants have now produced a discussion paper from the feedback during the first phase. This discussion Paper and further community engagement through a workshop forms the second phase of consultation to be completed in February 2013. Following this the draft CMP will be produced and, once endorsed by Council, will go out for consultation prior to it being adopted. This is expected to be completed in June 2013.

Photo by John Amiet, March 2012

mailto:sandyforeshore@optusnet.com.au

Saving the Cerberus SFA congratulates John Rogers, President, and members of Friends of Cerberus, and Bayside City Council for their passion, efforts and commitment to save the Cerberus.

In 2007 the Cerberus was listed on the National Heritage List after being nominated by Friends of the Cerberus and the National Trust. In 2008 the Federal Government provided a $500,000 grant to design a turret-bracing structure. Bracing is essential as catastrophic collapse is imminent. Due to their hard work, we have learnt that the Turret Bracing Project will resume under the project management of the City of Bayside.

John Rogers, Fleet Engineer (Victorian Navy)

Website, research & Friends of the Cerberus President. Photo by Vicki Karalis, Nov. 2012

Her Majesty's Victorian Ship (HMVS) Cerberus was specifically designed for use in Port Phillip Bay. Whereas attacking ships were limited to shipping channels, the flat-hulled Cerberus had the run of a relatively shallow bay.

Being steam-powered meant that the small Victorian Navy could man a powerful ship and punch well-above their weight. Fitting steam steering in 1876 meant that two men rather than ten could steer the ship. Not only was Cerberus the first British warship powered by steam alone, she was also the first warship anywhere that had a central superstructure. Another innovation was the two steam-powered gun turrets mounted at either end of the superstructure, giving all-round fire ability. With eight-inch armour on her sides and nine and ten inch armour on her gun turrets, Cerberus could take a lot of punishment. The modern ten-inch rifled guns allowed a broadside of four 183 kg shells to be fired up to 5 km. Cerberus represented cutting-edge technology in 1868. Had Cerberus not been at the forefront of naval technology, her importance to the colony of Victoria alone would warrant saving her. The most powerful ship in the Victorian Navy, Cerberus gave Victorians peace of mind they had a protector to thwart any attacking force. Far away from the British fleet based in Sydney, the gold-rush made Melbourne a tempting target. In the 1870s Cerberus and the obsolete ex-Georgian Man of War, HMVS Nelson (1814), were the extent of the Victorian Navy. Over time, the Navy expanded to a sixteen vessel fleet comprising gunboats, torpedo boats and converted government and commercial vessels. A small navy, the Permanent Force only consisted of 385 full-time, and 382 part-time men in the Naval Brigade.

The three-headed dog of Greek mythology keeps the Russian Bear at Bay

Melbourne Punch, 27 April 1871

HISTORY: 1868 - Cerberus launched 1871 - Cerberus arrives in Victoria 1876 - Locally designed & built steam steering fitted 1877 - Placed on a war footing during war scare. 1879 - Searchlights fitted 1881 - Five men die in Torpedo Accident 1882 - Locally designed & built boilers fitted 1882 - First machine gun fitted 1885 - War Scare 1888 - Fleet mobilised when telegraph connection with Britain lost. 1897 - Electric lighting & ventilation installed. 1890 - Quick Firing Guns fitted 1900 - Recorded highest speed of 12.4 knots (23 kph) 1900 - Naval contingent sent to China during Boxer Rebellion. 1905 - Operates under steam for the last time 1909 - Towed to Queenscliff & back for last cruise and decommissioned. 1912 - Recommissioned HMAS Cerberus as Name Ship for Williamstown Naval Base. 1921 - Renamed Platypus II, used as Depot Ship for J Class submarines at Geelong. 1924 - Sold for scrap. 1926 - Scuttled at Half Moon Bay. RECENT EVENTS:- 2002 - Friends of the Cerberus formed Save the Cerberus. 2005 - State Government grant of $80,000 received that allows removal the guns thereby removing 72 tons of weight from the superstructure. 2007 - Cerberus listed on the National Heritage List after being nominated by Friends of the Cerberus and the National Trust. 2008 - $500,000 grant received from the Federal Government. 2011 - Approval given to use grant funds to design a turret bracing structure. 2012 - Issues with Federal Heritage Department resolved so that the Turret Bracing Project can resume under the project management of the City of Bayside. Bracing is essential as catastrophic collapse is imminent.

In the first week of December 2012, courtesy of the Defence Department's Maritime Platforms Division, the City of Bayside, Friends of the Cerberus, the National Trust, and Heritage Victoria, will be conducting an internal survey of Cerberus using a Little Benthic remotely operated vehicle. This will provide the information required to design the internal bracing structure.

HMVS Cerberus flying the Victorian flag in 1898. Courtesy of Museum Victoria

To be kept up to date on our campaign to Save the Cerberus email cerberus@cerberus.com.au with the word Newsletter in the subject field.

www.cerberus.com.au

mailto:cerberus@cerberus.com.auhttp://www.cerberus.com.au/

A Cleaner Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay

Pollution discharged from a storm water drain pipe in front of Sandringham Lifesaving club.

Photo by Vicki Karalis 2012

A cleaner and healthier Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay depends on all of us government, business and individuals being aware of how our actions impact our waterways.

The Victorian Government has announced 17 new priority actions, led by a government taskforce, to achieve results now for a healthier Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay. They complement broader investment in waterway health, stormwater and sewerage infrastructure over the next five years.

The Cleaner Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay Action Plan was announced by the Minister for Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith on 8 October 2012.

The action plan highlights the Victorian Government's commitment to protect and improve our natural assets.

For more information please see:

http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/data/assets/pdf_file/0003/146730/A-Cleaner-Yarra-and-Port-Phillip-Bay-print-friendly-final-version.pdf We hope you have enjoyed reading the SFA summer newsletter. All the very best to you and your families over the coming Xmas season and summer holidays. Yours with kindness, Dr Vicki Karalis, SFA President Assistant editor, SFA Newsletter: Cristian Sliver & SFA committee members: Alison Horton, Vice-President Adrienne Smith, Secretary Craig Francis, Treasurer John Amiet, Chairman & website master Helen Gibson Paul Hede Laurie Evans Ruby Campbell-Beschorner

http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/data/assets/pdf_file/0003/146730/A-Cleaner-Yarra-and-Port-Phillip-Bay-print-friendly-final-version.pdfhttp://www.dse.vic.gov.au/data/assets/pdf_file/0003/146730/A-Cleaner-Yarra-and-Port-Phillip-Bay-print-friendly-final-version.pdf