Altona beach has become a “horrendous” mudpit in sharp contrast to eastern suburbs beaches, according to a volunteer member of Altona Yacht Club.
Jo Ewen, who visits the beach daily, said she questioned Hobsons Bay council’s commitment to its maintenance, particularly at the western end of the beach near Maidstone Street.
“If I was to get out of my car at any time of day, in any of the other suburbs, I would see white and yellow sand with minimal brown and black, let alone green,” she said.
“The picture that I see here right now is all green and black and grey mud and rocks. Some days I’m faced with just turning around and going home – I can’t stand it – and this is a common sentiment of people that I talk to all around Altona.
“I sail with people in Williamstown, I sail with people in Altona, and everyone is just saddened by the fact that we can’t enjoy the beach the same as other people in other suburbs around Port Phillip Bay. The dog beach is in a better state.”
Hobsons Bay mayor Sandra Wilson said the sand was mechanically sifted at least twice a week from Sargood Street to Apex Park, the most unsightly part of the beach.
“The area in question is actually a natural mudflat, close to valuable seagrasses, which is only exposed during low tide,” she said. “It is a difficult area to clean and remove seaweed from, for both environmental and logistical reasons.
“That said, that area is cleaned once a week at minimum – more often if large volumes of weed are washed up, and is actually in line for renourishment works, which will include importing a large amount of sand back on to the beach area to improve access along this area for beach walkers and to increase its general attractiveness.”
She added that there was a dearth of state government funding to help with management of the municipality’s 26 kilometres of shoreline.
