Pirate Cove
An Aboriginal shell midden at Apollo Bay's Pirate Cove is to be protected thanks to a grant to conserve the site's natural and cultural values.
The project, led by the Framlingham Aboriginal Trust, will also prevent further erosion of the cliff top and dune system, enhance native coastal vegetation, and install interpretive signage to increase awareness of the significance of the area.
Framlingham Aboriginal Trust community development officer, Neil Martin, said the project will be carried out in partnership with the Apollo Bay Kennett River Coastal Reserve Committee of Management.
"Pirate Cove is a sheltered headland dotted with trees, and is popular with locals and tourists for the very same reasons it was enjoyed by the local indigenous tribe (the Gadabanud)," Neil said.
"People enjoy the fishing today as much as the Aborigines enjoyed eating shellfish, which led over time to the creation of the midden.
"But the midden lies in the path of cars and people walking down to the beach, which has led to some damage."
The project will repair erosion to the cliff top and midden site by formalising beach access, with steps and a board and chain walkway to be constructed. The midden site will be covered with two layers of gravel and a layer of thick plastic matting.
Removing weeds will protect remnant coastal vegetation such as eucalypt and casuarina. Native plants like coast daisy, tussock grass and cushion bush will be used to revegetate the site.
A cultural heritage officer from the Framlingham Aboriginal Trust will attend works to ensure they respect the site's cultural values.
The Pirate Cove project is just one example of individuals and community groups who have worked on fencing, tree planting, weeding, and seed collecting, targeting local problems such as salinity, water quality, protecting native vegetation and coastal erosion.
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