Friends of Gippsland Lakes Submission on Amendment C172egip: Safeguarding the Lakes from Poor Coastal Planning
The Friends of Gippsland Lakes have lodged a detailed submission to the Planning Panel for Amendment C172egip (Paynesville), raising serious concerns about how current planning proposals could expose the Gippsland Lakes and adjacent Ramsar wetlands to long-term environmental and climate risks.
The submission highlights that the East Gippsland Planning Scheme amendment, which seeks to rezone farmland for residential expansion at Paynesville, relies on outdated hazard modelling—particularly the use of a fixed 2.8 m Australian Height Datum (AHD) line to define safe development areas. This benchmark, derived from limited 2014 data, does not reflect updated climate science or projected sea-level rise and could leave future developments vulnerable to inundation, erosion, and coastal squeeze.
FOGL’s review of the underlying Local Coastal Hazard Assessment (LCHA) and related modelling identifies major methodological flaws and recommends a full reassessment using contemporary hydrodynamic and probabilistic modelling, including “compound event” scenarios that account for concurrent storm surges, high rainfall, and wind-driven flooding.
The submission calls for stronger biodiversity safeguards, expanded coastal buffers, and compliance with the Marine and Coastal Policy (2020) and Ministerial Direction No. 13 on managing coastal hazards. It urges a precautionary, adaptive approach—one that respects the ecological values of the Gippsland Lakes Ramsar site and ensures planning decisions are guided by sound, up-to-date science rather than legacy assumptions.
By drawing attention to these systemic gaps, the Friends of Gippsland Lakes aim to ensure that growth around Paynesville strengthens, rather than undermines, the long-term health and resilience of Victoria’s largest coastal lagoon system.