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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:
[email protected] 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/
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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 [email protected] 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:[email protected]://www.dse.vic.gov.au/http://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/
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There are 3 bowls at Picnic Point, 1 at Green Point and 2 at
Brighton beach. If interested please contact Vicki Karalis at
[email protected] 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:[email protected]
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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: [email protected] 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:[email protected]
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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:
[email protected] 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:[email protected]
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
[email protected] with the word Newsletter in the subject
field.
www.cerberus.com.au
mailto:[email protected]://www.cerberus.com.au/
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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.
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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