Dell cracking up

Andrew Mathieson
CRACKS up to 10metres deep have ripped into a former road to Clifton Spring’s The Dell, dashing hopes of resuming car access to the beach area.
Geotechnical monitoring has indicated recent rain has caused landslides and also reduced the stability of Clifton Springs’ fragile cliffs.
The City has issued a “cautionary warning” to residents over the potential for an increase in landslides.
Clifton Springs councillor Tom O’Connor effectively sounded the death knell for car access to The Dell’s beach following the latest damage.
“If there was ever a chance of getting an alternative road in for passenger vehicles, this severely challenges that approach,” he said.
“The existing road is a pickle of a thing to walk up and down and even to drive a car down there.
“The walking track is significantly better to walk on now than walking up and down the road but I really have my doubts about longterm vehicle access now.”
The shifts have tilted trees, created depressions among vegetation and exposed fresh soil on slopes, council warned.
Cr O’Connor said the increase in landslides had “reinforced” council’s the decision in 2002 to close the access road to the public.
“It’s reinforced the concern expressed on behalf of the community,” he said.
Geelong councillor Shane Dowling warned City Hall and residents in April, 2006, of further landslides. He said he “could not live with” concerns about public liability.
Council has since replaced the road with a steep walking trail.
“There has been some movement and (the engineers) are pretty concerned, not that the rain is going to just fall on top of the soil but at the moment they’re more worried about the longerterm when it soaks through down the slope,” Cr O’Connor said.
“They’re worried about it pulling away.”
Cr O’Connor is pushing a plan to open up a new beach off Beacon Point Drive, east of The Dell’s foreshore.
The new beach would require construction of another access path from the cliff face and moving a car park above the area.