Warrnambool City Council is seeking quotations for a suitable qualified specialist to undertake the Wild Coast Climate Resilience & Protection Project (the Project). The Project will focus on the Wild Coast and Lady Bay precincts (west and central coastal regions) through a dedicated risk assessment and asset mapping process, developing a localised Resilience Strategy for the ecologically and culturally significant coastline.

The Project is funded through the Victorian Governments Resilient Coast Program – Round 3 Grants program and is co-delivered with the Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action (DEECA).

The Project will analyse geophysical and ecological conditions of the target area and completing a gap analysis and risk assessment for climate adaptation actions. Ecological and landscape scale principles will be considered with the health of natural assets (and cultural heritage / spiritual priorities).

Outcomes of the analysis will be used to create a Resilience Strategy, addressing the drivers, impacts and adaptation/mitigation actions required for ecological health, and likely impacts to adjacent public and private assets (built environment and agriculture land).

The project builds on 2021-22 risk assessment studies completed by DEECA for the condition of engineered coastal assets within the same coastal region. The study will complement and build on resilience strategies for comprehensive protection and adaptation options. The project is further supported by the endorsed Wild Coast Landscape Masterplan 2022 and the Barwon South West Regional Climate Adaptation Strategy 2022-2025.

The Project aims to work collaboratively with management agencies and local community to develop a targeted Resilience Strategy for current and emerging climate change impacts to Lady Bay and Wild Coast zones (WCC).

Successful Project delivery will see a connected working group collaborating with community, and implementation of a Resilience Strategy for practical actions across the coastal precinct for the next 20 years (for connected West Warrnambool and Southern coastal zones).

The project will inform natural environment and infrastructure planning into the future by addressing immediate and mid-term climate risk (see Section 4).

Scope parameters include (but not limited to):

• Health and type of natural assets (ecological communities and interconnected landscapes) from Hopkins River (Moyjil) to the Moyne Shire Council boundary
• Contemporary oceanographic studies in the target area
• Climate drivers, risks and impacts likely impacts to adjacent public and private assets (built environment and agriculture land).
• Adaptation pathways focussing on natural asset management and improved biodiversity
• Resilience Strategy pathways for immediate (now to 20+ years)
• Community empowerment for shared adaptation actions
• Cultural and spiritual considerations of the Project area

The Project supports current studies and actions for flood mitigation, and ecological health and management of the project area. It will address conservation and regeneration values and the preservation of critical landscapes and habitats. The area of spiritual and cultural significance to the Eastern Maar community, with the Project working collaboratively with the Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation.