Pristine Waters Of Gunnamatta Ocean Beach example essay topic

Dear Mr Bracks, Last Saturday I had the misfortune to ride perfect waves at Gunnamatta Beach. I say misfortune, despite the fact that the surf was excellent, because I spent the rest of the week in bed with a mystery illness caught in the pristine waters of Gunnamatta ocean beach. I know this because other surfers who come from the Mornington Peninsula have also displayed similar symptoms. This "mysterious illness" was caused by the Boags rock wastewater outlet, which must be closed down.

Like myself, many people suffer adverse health effects from Gunnamatta. Instances of infections such as viral meningitis, eye, ear, nose and throat infections and gastric upsets, have been documented after exposure to waters at Gunnamatta. Surely such severe and continuous adverse health effects are ringing alarm bells in Spring Street. There are a number of reasons why the outlet needs to be closed, other than the extreme health concern for the large quantity of surfers and swimmers who use Gunnamatta. There would be long term financial benefits involved in using this most precious and rare resource, rather than sending it is a toxic contaminant into our coastal environment.

This water could be easily treated one more level than it currently is and it would be able to contribute to drought problems in Australia. Apart from the human effects, this contaminant is destroying the marine environment on the Peninsula. If the outlet were to be closed, there would be durable financial benefits, both to the water industry and government. The Clean Ocean Foundation claim that financial benefits will occur, through recovery of these four possible sources of revenue. Recovery of commercially saleable fats and oils, recovery of commercially saleable solid wastes, recovery of huge volumes of commercially saleable recycled water and recovery of commercially saleable metals. It is my belief that this environment is worth saving without any economic benefit, but if there can be savings both economically and environmentally then everyone would win.

Australia is a dry continent, but currently we release huge volumes of waste water into our coastal and estuarine environments, from 142 ocean outfalls around the country. Locally, each day, an average of 450 million litres of effluent is discharged at Gunnamatta Ocean beach. If the Gunnamatta outlet was to be closed, this water could be being treated to level four, and be used as a mass water supply. Is it so much to ask to contribute to helping Australia's drought problems, rather than discarding it into a sensitive area that cannot tolerate it? Water treated to level four is drinkable, so there is no reason why it couldn't be used for watering crops and recreational grounds. The outfall must be closed due to the damage it is causing the Gunnamatta Beach environment.

The Clean Ocean Foundation have assessed the damage the outfall has caused to the environment at Boags Rocks. The research comprised comparison of historical conditions before the outfall and an analysis of current conditions at the same location. The current situation has undoubtedly worsened and the Clean Ocean Foundation are gathering more data on the pre-outfall condition at Boags Rocks, to improve this comparison. The closure of the outfall is not only important to the people of the Mornington Peninsula, but to people throughout Melbourne and the state. It may seem pretentious for a seventeen-year-old surfer to be giving political tips to Premier of Victoria. However, I would suggest that the closure of the Gunnamatta outfall would be beneficial to your chances of re-election.

Next year I turn 18, which allows me to vote for the first time. I can assure you that for me and many other people my age, the closure of the outfall is the prime issue and without it your party will never receive a vote from me. Yours Sincerely, Peter Bourke.