Landslips in the Otways
- Integrated action for prevention, mitigation and repair
Principles:
1. Landslips are a significant regional problem in the Otways;
2. More needs to be known about the causes of landslips and strategies for risk
mitigation;
3. Coordinated action between Government Agencies, the community and
landholders is more effective than uncoordinated and separate actions;
4. Local Knowledge is an essential component of risk mitigation.
The problem
Heavy rains in the Otways have resulted in local flooding and numerous landslips.
While the flooding is of little consequence, the slips have impacted on roads,
waterways, fence and pipe-lines, riparian restoration projects and also present a
significant risk to buildings.
The Great Ocean Road has been cut in several places impacting on the local
economy. Colac Otway Shire has recently removed and transported many meters of
soil from roadways. A significant number of private landholders have sought advice
from the Southern Otway Landcare Network (SOLN) on what to do to stabilise recent
slips and prevent further slips.
There are many underlying causes for slips. Tectonic movement, topography, soil
types, geology and rain events are mainly beyond our control. The risk of slips due to
over-clearing on steep slopes and tunnel erosion can by mitigated by appropriate revegetation. When it comes to predicting slips, local knowledge is important. Many
landholders have detailed knowledge of their properties over time and can readily
identify areas at risk.
A key component of the problem is that it is cross-jurisdictional and responsibility is
easily avoided. Nevertheless, landslips are endemic to the region and pose a
significant threat to the health of the economy, the stability of the environment and
may even cost lives. Coordinated action is urgently needed.
Proposed solution
Agencies, researchers and landholders take integrated and proactive action to find
out more about the causes of landslips in the region and develop effective strategies
for prevention, mitigation and repair.
1. Create a Regional Landslip Task Force. Representatives from:

Simon Pockley - Southern Otway Landcare Network (SOLN)
[Chair: Southern Otway Landcare Network (Chair SOLN) 60 Bridge St.
Northcote Vic 3070, mob. 0418575525, simonpockley@gmail.com

Grant Godden - Corangamite Catchment Management Authority
(CCMA) [Regional Landcare Facilitator, 64 Dennis Street, Colac,
Victoria 3250, mob 0459 849 362, grant.godden@ccma.vic.gov.au]

Tony Miner - Geotechnical Consultant and Research Fellow
Prepared by Simon Pockley 01/10/2010 last updated 18/02/2011
page 1 of 2
[50 Calder Street, Manifold Heights, Vic 3218 tel : 03.52294568 mob
0438.294568, aminer@pipeline.com.au]

TBA - Colac Otway Shire (COS)

TBA - Great Ocean Road

TBA -Tourism Victoria

TBA - Universities (research – possibly ARC Grant)
2. The Regional Landslip Task Force will develop Terms of Reference and seek
appropriate funding to support the Regional Landcare Facilitator to:





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Support the administration of the Landslip Task Force;
Identify all stakeholders and potential investors;
Define the extent of the problem by completing an historical audit of existing
slips. This data will be used to populate the existing landslip database with
information about current and anticipated slips;
Conduct research into landslip causes and mitigation strategies by
combining existing data with data gathered from landholders and land
managers;
Work across Agencies to develop an information package for landholders
on landslip repair and risk mitigation. Training material has already been
developed for the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA);
Liase with Landholders and Agencies to develop a soil spoil register so that
overlay requirements can be addressed prior to soil dumping (e.g.
appropriate sites, weed mitigation etc);
Liase with fire research experts to determine most effective way of
integrating fire behaviour modelling with landslip modelling;
Report on the activities of the Task Force through existing Newsletters,
websites, journal and other relevant channels of communication.
Actions to date:


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01/10/2010: One-page proposal developed and now versioned (this version
1.2)
16/02/2011: Co-ordinating actions to be including Grant Godden’s workplan;
16/02/2011: Tony Miner (Geotechnical Consultant) agrees to participate.
Prepared by Simon Pockley 01/10/2010 last updated 18/02/2011
page 2 of 2