By Cameron Weston
NOT far from the refinery stacks and factories of Altona is a rare ecosystem that is now flourishing, benefiting from years of being left alone by humans.
Interested locals and visitors explored the Altona Coastal Park, near the site of the former Williamstown racecourse last weekend, on a free walking tour.
The Altona Coastal Park Walk and Talk tour, conducted by park ranger Michelle Gooding, aimed to showcase the rich coastal environment in Hobsons Bay, including rare species of flora and fauna most people would be unaware of.
Ms Gooding said the coastal park, a salt marsh, contained many rare plants, animals and bird life.
She said the plant life had regenerated at the coastal park after decades of neglect, a mostly natural process that had been given a helping hand by park rangers.
“There was a major pollution event in the Kororoit Creek 40 or so years ago that killed all but four of the mangroves,” Ms Gooding said.
“Since then, there has been a huge amount of regeneration of the mangroves to the point that there is a lot growing in there now.”
The coastal park area had escaped development because it was prone to flooding, Ms Gooding said, a fact that had also ensured the rare habitat survived to the present day, as the concrete jungle grew around it.
But, she warned, many threats remained as a result of human activity.
“A lot of this area has also been developed and the areas that remain are at risk from being completely removed because of climate change and the possibility of rising sea levels.
“If the sea level rose only half a metre, we would probably lose a lot of these areas.”
The coastal park was also an important rest and refuelling point for many migratory birds, some of which came from as far as Siberia on their annual pilgrimage.
“These are the sort of places you can see these animals,” Ms Gooding said. “You just don’t see them anywhere except in these coastal environments, of which there are only a few.
“Before humans came along, the birds could just find somewhere else nearby if they were disturbed. “Now they have to travel a lot further to find refuge and feed safely.”
