Defending our front line of defence

Self-professed 'grassland nerd' Lynn Bain, organiser of Broulee Mossy Point Dunecare works tirelessly on the front lines to protect our front line.

According to Ms Bain, dunes are "very unique" ecosystems playing a fundamental role in maintaining biodiversity in the area. Dune vegetation is essential for animal habitats, native flora species and the overall well-being of the beach environment. They also act as a windbreak.

"Dunes are part of the overall ecology of beaches," she said.

"We're quite lucky here. We've got a fairly well vegetated dune system. It would be good to keep it that way.

"The more intact the vegetation system the more biodiversity. It reduces the impacts of erosion. It does a whole range of things.

"Now we know about climate change, we know how important it is to maintain vegetation and, ideally, manage land in a sustainable way."

Living on a farm out of Yass, Ms Bain was involved in the local landcare group trying to reduce dry land salinity in the Yass River valley. Her mother was involved in landcare, and Ms Bain raised her children to identify and pull out weeds - paying them 20 cents per weed removed. She said she could be frustrating to go bushwalking with because she was constantly removing weeds and collecting garbage.

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When she moved to Broulee 10 years ago, Ms Bain immediately joined the local Broulee Mossy Point Dunecare group. Similar landcare groups operate all along the Eurobodalla coastline.

The volunteer group meet at 9am on the third Sunday of every month at a different proposed work site. Ms Bain said there were 103 people on the emailing list, but around 15 turned up any one week.

Recently the group have planted native species along the eastward face of the dunes at North Broulee beach. Ms Bain hopes these native plants will flourish into healthy vegetation with roots stabilising the sand and preventing erosion.

As a result of the recent rain, North Broulee had a rough surf and a far higher-than-normal tide. The highwater mark was only metres from the base of the dune.

"I worry about [the dunes] in the longer term," Ms Bain said. "Because with sea level rise we're going to get higher and higher tides - we're going to get tides that come in further and further."

"We have to manage how you protect that dune vegetation into the future."

To get involved with Broulee Mossy Point Dunecare and be advised about work days and locations, send an email to andrewabain@gmail.com