Aboriginal anger at Bells damage

Alex de Vos
Aboriginal authorities want Bells Beach access restricted to protect “significant cultural sites”, according to Geelong’s indigenous community.
Wathaurong chief executive Trevor Edwards said he feared visitors would destroy “a number of magnificent midden sites” at Bells Beach without new restrictions.
“At the moment the sites are being disturbed and destroyed and that is a huge concern,” Mr Edwards said.
“Generally the community has respect for them but some people fossick around and they end up disturbing them.”
Mr Edwards said protection of the sites would also require organisers of the Rip Curl Pro international surfing contest to work with Aboriginal and heritage authorities.
He slammed existing legislation on protection of Aboriginal heritage, saying it failed to adequately prevent people interfering with sacred sites.
“They are nowhere near protected under the 1996 Heritage Act,” Mr Edwards said.
“The coastline from Lorne to Point Wilson is absolutely flourishing with midden sites that are hundreds of metres long, but there is nothing in place to protect them.”
Mr Edwards urged authorities to fence off Aboriginal sites and lay walking tracks to redirect pedestrians around them.
“In the last 10 years we’ve come a long way in protecting the environment and the sites are part of the environment,” Mr Edwards said.
“(Authorities) need to do more to protect them not only for the indigenous people but also for the broader community.”
Earlier this month Surf Coast Shire called on the community to provide “ideas and thoughts on the future of Bells Beach”.
The invitation followed council announcing plans to spend thousands of dollars on hiring a consultant to draw up a plan to tackle litterbugs and a “significant” increase in tourists at Bells Beach.
Bells Beach Surfing Reserve Committee member John Foss said the plan was also “geared toward” improving the area’s walking trails, storm-water drainage and vegetation.
Surf Coast Shire director of sustainable communities Dennis Barker said the Bells Beach master plan would also “seek to preserve and foster the things that make the reserve important”.
“There is evidence of human activity at Bells Beach dating back thousands of years through a number of sites on the reserve,” Mr Barker said.
“In conjunction with the current master plan development, council is now working on a cultural heritage assessment of the area in order to identify significant sites and help develop plans for their protection.”