The Friends of Gippsland Lakes (FoGL) and Gippsland Environment Group (GEG) have made a powerful joint submission to the Draft Gippsland Lakes Ramsar Site Management Plan 2023, urging that the final plan be delayed until more comprehensive consultation and scientific review can take place.
While recognising positive elements in the draft, the two groups argue that it is seriously flawed in its treatment of key risks—particularly those linked to climate change, coastal erosion, sea-level rise, and water quality decline. They contend that the risk assessment framework relies on outdated standards and data, failing to reflect contemporary science such as ISO 31000:2018 risk management principles or recent hydrological and ecological findings.
The submission raises alarm over the rapid loss of freshwater and brackish wetlands, the vulnerability of migratory shorebirds whose conservation status has been understated, and the growing exposure of Aboriginal cultural heritage sites to erosion and salinity impacts around Boole Poole, Jones Bay, and McLeods Morass. It also highlights the need for stronger management of coastal acid sulfate soils, which pose an emerging threat as sea levels rise and dredging continues.
GEG and FoGL call for the plan to be revised with updated data, improved governance and accountability measures, and a clearer integration of Traditional Owner perspectives and bio-cultural values. Their message is clear: the Gippsland Lakes—one of Victoria’s most significant Ramsar-listed wetland systems—deserves a management plan that is scientifically sound, transparent, and truly capable of safeguarding its ecological character for future generations.