Beaches and climate change

Evidence of future higher sea level

Project size (& length): 25

Climate change will push sea levels over a metre higher than present, yet we know little of where sea level has been in the past & Victorian and Bass Strait as the major gap in Australian and global understanding. This project will review the literature on past sea levels, focussing on the mid Holocene (c. 5000 years ago) when sea level was up to 2m higher than present.

• Key Skill Development: Literature Review, Carbon Dating Analysis
• Pre-req Skills: GIS (ideally, but not mandatory), a thirst for knowledge

Tracking Beach Nourishment in Port Phillip Bay

Project size (& length): 25

This project is conducted in partnership with the Victorian Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action. Beach renourishment is the most environmentally sensitive technique to maintain beaches in Port Phillip Bay. Unfortunately, due to the ad hoc nature of projects, where and when projects have been undertaken has been forgotten. In this project we will use satellite imagery to track where and when sand has been added to beaches and its long-term benefit. The results will have direct impact into coastal planning in Victoria.

• Key Skill Development: GIS, coastal management
• Pre-req Skills: A love of the coast

Beach renourishment and climate change vulnerability in Port Phillip Bay

Project size (& length): 25 or 50

The artificial addition of sand to a beach is becoming more widespread as climate change and development negatively impacts our beaches. How this material behaves is however poorly understood, leading to resource waste as material is moved quickly out of the littoral system. This project, conducted in partnership with the Victorian Department of Environment, Energy and Climate Action, will combine field work in Port Phillip Bay and laboratory analysis, will seek to understand how sand moves on our coast.

• Key Skill Development: Sedimentology, field sampling and surveying, laser particle sizing,
• Pre-req Skills: GIS (ideally, but not mandatory). Ability to swim (safety requirement)

Beach sedimentology

Project size (& length): 25 or 50

Models of beach change under storm events and climate change always require the size of the beach sand as the fundamental variable to calibrate to real life conditions. Surprisingly, fundamental questions occur on how variable grain size can be on a beach. Does one average really account for the variability? In this project you will undertake field work on local beaches, collect sand and analyse the material in a laser particle sizer. These results will have direct applicability for managers in ground truthing the global industry standard models of beach dynamics.

• Key Skill Development: Sedimentology, field sampling and surveying, laser particle sizing,
• Pre-req Skills: GIS (ideally, but not mandatory). A love of beaches.