“One of Victoria's ecological gems”: Western Port Bay wetland faces threat of over development

Western Port Bay is an internationally significant wetland, home to the largest colonies of Little Penguins, Short-tailed Shearwaters and Australian Fur Seals in the world - so it’s not surprising the potential for development has environmental groups concerned.

Why it matters

In 2024, the state government selected the Port of Hastings as a renewable energy terminal to support the construction of offshore wind farms in both Gippsland and western Victoria.

In early August, the Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt approved the Victorian government’s proposal, allowing it to proceed to environmental assessment.

The concern

The news has concerned both local and state environmental groups who are calling on the state government to create a strategic plan that would protect Western Port Bay under the Marine and Coastal Act.

What they’re saying

Dr Kat Lucas-Healey, Senior Climate and Energy Advisor at Environment Victoria, told the Gippsland Monitor Western Port Bay is one of the state’s “ecological gems.”

“What’s missing is a proper plan for managing that important environment,” she said.

Lucas-Healey said the combination of the proposed offshore wind terminal for the Port of Hastings, urban encroachment around Pakenham and the flagging of new industrial land in Hastings is putting increased pressure on the Ramsar-declared wetland.

Ramsar-declared wetlands are internationally recognised wetlands of ecological significance.

Offshore wind industry “vitally important”

Lucas-Healey said the offshore wind industry is vitally important to Australia’s clean energy shift – but she wants to see it done properly.

“This is not a moment for crashing through but a moment for demonstrating serious environmental and social credentials,” she said.

“The Victorian government has noted that there could be multiple ports, and what we'd like to see is the government assess those different options on environmental grounds.

“They are also yet to convince the community why this facility should be built in a Ramsar wetland rather than elsewhere.”

What’s proposed in Gippsland?

The largest renewable project in Victoria is Gippsland’s offshore wind farms. According to the Victorian Government the 11 proposed offshore wind farms will generate at least enough energy to power 1.5 million homes (2 gigawatts) by 2032.

The government is aiming to double this amount to 4GW by 2035 and 9GW by 2040.

In comparison, the Hazelwood mine site was a 1.6GW capacity coal fired power station.

Getting with the plan

Creating a plan in partnership with Traditional Owners – as well as local industries and government – would, according to Lucas-Healey, “fund measures that will increase the health of the bay and make sure that whatever is proposed there can be accommodated within the bounds of what nature could support”.

The Victorian National Parks Association, Western Port Biosphere Reserve Foundation, Save Westernport, and the Phillip Island Conservation Society have all called on the state government to implement the plan.

Bass Coast Shire councillor Jon Temby told the Gippsland Monitor the bay is “really important for our migratory birds”.

“Any additional changes, such as dredging and removal of mangroves can only have a further detrimental effect on the environmental values of the bay,” said Temby.

“We need to restore it, rather than have further damage done to it.”