The Victorian Government's Future Coasts Program will advance the management of, and planning for, the impacts of climate change on the Victorian coastline by providing data and information to improve decision-making processes.

Future Coasts is working to better understand the physical vulnerability of the entire Victorian coastline through the investment of $13.5 million in the capture of bathymetric and topographic elevation modelling and the modelling of coastal processes such as extreme sea levels. These data sets have been amalgamated with coastal landform and geomorphology data to provide an indicative, state-wide assessment of the sensitivity of the Victorian coastline over a range of sea-level rise scenarios and timeframes. This assessment will be available to coastal land managers and decision-makers. The state-wide assessment will assist in the selection of high risk locations, such as Port Fairy on Victoria's west coast, where Future Coasts, in collaboration with local government and project partners, will undertake detailed, site-specific vulnerability assessments.

In addition to assessing physical vulnerability, Future Coasts also acts as a platform on which the complex social issues associated with adaptation along the coast can be explored and discussed. To this end, Future Coasts has conducted a series of workshops along the coastline which have contributed to the development of a Coastal Climate Change Impacts and Responses Paper to enable coastal communities to contemplate the challenges, opportunities and potential responses. The submissions received in response to the Paper will then be used to inform the Victorian Government's long-term adaptation responses.

Future Coasts is working to develop guidance material for the improved and consistent consideration of coastal hazards, such as coastal erosion and flooding, in decision-making processes through standard approaches to vulnerability and risk assessment. The guidance material will provide a framework to ensure that sea-level rise is factored in to land-use planning and land management decisions.

Managing and planning for the effects of climate change on the coast requires a coordinated response from all levels and arms of government and partnerships with industry and communities. Future Coasts will continue to work closely with its project partners to produce information and guidance to allow decision-makers to make well informed decisions.