Committed to Corio foreshore

David Braiden knows the value of working together to protect what’s important. As Geelong Refinery’s Major Environment Projects Lead, he plays a vital role in helping Viva Energy preserve and protect our natural environment around a major manufacturing facility.

The landscape surrounding the Geelong Refinery is a natural asset to the region, with the Corio Bay foreshore forming part of the traditional lands of the Wathaurung people. It’s also home to migratory birds such as the orange-bellied parrot, and coastal salt marshes that play a key role in sustaining the ecological balance of the area.

In 2012, in consultation with EPA Victoria, a Clean Up plan was developed to remediate a part of the foreshore that had been historically impacted by hydrocarbons. The plan consisted of a dedicated regeneration project, designed to restore and preserve this section of the coastline, and demonstrate our commitment to the natural environment.

Driving action through dialogue

在工作开始前，与一系列利益相关者进行了广泛的磋商。通过与EPA Victoria，Geelong委员会，土地，水和规划部的讨论，以及原住民事务等土着群体，维多利亚州和Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation，因此制定了广泛的反应，以重新植入该地区，并帮助将其归还自然状态。

“We had ecological assessments done of the area, and areas further north adjacent to the refinery,” says David. “The salt marshes are home to rare species, high value species of plants, little critters and birds, and were determined to be of high ecological value.”

Preserving that habitat was of great importance to Viva Energy. After the necessary recommendations, advice and approvals were in place, work on the Clean Up plan began in earnest.

“We installed groundwater interception trenches to make sure the intertidal areas were not at risk,” says David. Additional monitoring wells were put in place and hydrocarbon is now successfully recovered from the subsurface within the area.

“We also fenced off parts of the area to reduce impacts from people driving cars in there and illegally dumping.” Vehicular access was controlled by the installation of a gate, as well as boulders and signage.

在现有的接入轨道上进行维护，而再培训努力利用包括本地种子混合物的加氢技术。

“Instead of planting tube stock, the area was sprayed with a mulch-like fertiliser and seed mixture,” says David. “This was supplemented by the Environment Team conducting a planting day to plant salt-bush, to ensure those areas could be preserved.”

Hands-on preservation

Viva Energy had also engaged the services of Environmental Resources Management Australia, who prepared the Cultural Heritage Management Plan after a rigorous assessment of the site.

他们的工作确保了适当的标志突出了该地区发现的壳体中间人的意义，在科里奥湾地区的过去土着狩猎，收集和食品加工的证据。

As part of Viva Energy’s ongoing commitment to the environment, we have also partnered with Greening Australia which often involves our team volunteering for planting days to help maintain a healthy home for our native flora and fauna. Together, we revegetated the fringing saltmarsh of Limeburner’s Bay to increase the biodiversity of the area, and reduce the threat of weed encroachment on this important habitat.