Field Trips
Field trips are included in full conference and Thursday registration. Please select with your registration which field trip option you would like to attend on Thursday 7 November 2024. Afternoon tea is included and please note that numbers are limited per tour.
FT 1: Educate, Embrace, Empower – Wimbie Beach Headland or Grandfathers Gully, Lilli Pilli
Join Muladha Gamaras on a life changing experience on Walbunja Country. Learn about traditional land management in the coastal environment, seaweed, bushfood and medicine. Experience a traditional smoking ceremony, flavours and tools. Understand ancient landmarks and stories on this epic journey on part of the Batemans Bay Coastal Trail. This tour will deepen your connection to country through millenniums of culture and help close the gap through Knowledge, Humbleness and Connection. Also learn about the recent development of the Batemans Bay Coastal Trail by Eurobodalla Shire Council, providing access along the coast to explore nature, secrets bays and rock ledges and a burning program being implemented to manage high risk weeds
FT2: Wagonga Inlet Living Shoreline (WILS) and Dalmeny Themeda grasslands cultural burning program, Narooma
Departs at 12.25pm
Visit the newly created Wagonga Inlet Living Shoreline in Narooma, an innovative project between partners, Eurobodalla Shire Council, NSW DPI Fisheries and The Nature Conservancy highlighting how we can get creative to deliver Nature Based Solutions for coastal protection. The project combines two types of oyster reef restoration, removal of a failing rock wall, saltmarsh restoration, terrestrial plantings, First Nations artworks and engagement, construction of a fully accessible accessway and boardwalk, jetty and floating pontoon. Hear all the dirty details from the project team on how they made this happen and get a head start on your own projects by learning from their mistakes. Stop on the way back in Dalmeny to take a look at how Eurobodalla Council is working with The Walbunja Rangers and the Wagonga Aboriginal Land Council to implement cultural burning of this threatened ecological community changing it from a low value kikuyu infested grassland to a thriving and diverse community.
FT3: Erosion and Recovery over the decades – Batemans Bay’s longstanding Erosion hotspots and Australia’s infamous longest continual record beach state record: Bengello Beach
Visit the resilient Batemans Bay coast and hear from ESC and DCCEEW staff about the “significant open coast hazard” hotspots, which include the inundated Wharf Road parcels, the coastal protection works at Long Beach that protect the low-lying Bay Road for a lesson in coastal hazard and planning over the years, one which has involved sand nourishment, buybacks and geofab walls. Don’t forget to check out (and use) Council’s newest Coastsnap Station at Long Beach!
Following a short tour of the Bay, we will make the trip down to Bengello Beach, home of the longest standing beach state study in Australia. Tom Oliver from University of New South Wales will give a presentation on the iconic beach, talking us through 50 years of continuous monitoring and research and what it tells us about the resilience and recovery of our beaches.
This field trip will involve a bus trip to North Batemans Bay, Bengello and Broulee.
FT4: Reviving Bhundoo – a Clyde River Boat Trip
Take a walk along the foreshore and then jump onboard to experience the picturesque Clyde River estuary. On this boat trip you will hear from the land managers working closely together to protect, restore and revive the estuary, to build knowledge and resilience in the community.
Presenters will include; the Walbunja Rangers, taking a close look at the cultural management of Bhundoo River and Cullendulla Creek; A local oyster farmer to talk about the world class technologies and environmental improvements they are implementing; Local Land Services to show their recent erosion management works; and Eurobodalla Shire Council with their exciting penguin monitoring and habitat improvement program, estuary management program and engaging CBD business owners and community in stopping marine debris at its source.