Request for Quotation: Hopetoun Coastal Foreshore Management Plan

Overview The Shire of Ravensthorpe invites quotations from suitably qualified and experienced consultants to prepare a Coastal Foreshore Management Plan (FMP) for the Hopetoun foreshore. The commission is supported by funding from the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH). Purpose The FMP will provide a practical, evidence-based framework for the planning, protection, development, rehabilitation and long-term management of the coastal foreshore reserve over a 10 to 20 year horizon. The successful consultant will be required to integrate coastal hazard risk management and adaptation, environmental and cultural values, public access and recreation, infrastructure planning, community expectations and long-term financial responsibilities. Scope The consultant must review all relevant background material, complete field investigations, engage with the community and agencies, prepare spatial and technical analysis, and deliver a practical FMP. The consultant must be familiar with the Shire's CHRMAP and follow the relevant State Coastal Planning Policy guidance, including section 4.8 of the supporting guidelines. Project inception and desktop review Conduct an inception meeting with the Shire and Steering Committee and confirm project methodology, governance, communications, risks, data requirements and program Review the CHRMAP, relevant local planning instruments, reserve and tenure information, asset data, environmental and heritage information, prior studies, grant requirements and applicable State policies and guidelines Prepare a project management plan, detailed work program and information request register Undertake an initial site inspection with Shire officers and document key opportunities, constraints and management issues Existing conditions and values assessment Assess existing flora, fauna and habitat conditions and the implications of degradation or habitat loss Identify threatened and priority species and ecological communities, migratory shorebirds, turtles, seabirds and important nesting, breeding, roosting or feeding areas Assess coastal processes, hazards, landform, stability, natural vulnerability, climate-change exposure and water quality considerations Audit the location, condition, accessibility and function of beach accessways, informal tracks, fencing, signage, parking, public facilities and other infrastructure Identify informal tracks suitable for closure, rationalisation or rehabilitation Identify current and potential access points, public-use nodes and marine resource access requirements Assess landscape, seascape, visual amenity, views and vistas Identify Aboriginal cultural heritage, historic heritage, community values and recreation patterns Confirm reserve tenure, management responsibility, land capability, existing development and any planning or environmental approvals likely to be required Heritage requirements The FMP must identify and provide appropriate protection and management responses for Aboriginal cultural heritage and historic heritage. At a minimum, the consultant must consider the following identified heritage places and verify current register information: Port Hotel (P2309) Lighthouses (P1403) Hopetoun Jetty (P2313) Hopetoun General Store (P14044) Metropolitan Hotel (P2312) Hopetoun/Ravensthorpe Railway (P13984) Management framework and development guidance Define recommended coastal foreshore reserve boundaries and management zones Identify the location and extent of public use, access, recreation, facilities and coastal nodes Integrate coastal and marine planning with land-use planning and reserve management Establish guidelines for the form and scale of development, foreshore tenure and management, and land uses within coastal nodes Address wastewater, stormwater and water-sensitive urban design requirements Protect natural landscapes, ecological systems, water quality, views, vistas, Aboriginal heritage and historic heritage Apply coastal hazard risk-management and adaptation principles and identify decision triggers, pathways and responsibilities Identify capital and recurrent financial responsibilities, including long-term maintenance and management of public facilities and any coastal protection structures Identify approvals, permits, referrals and consultation requirements for recommended works Options assessment and implementation plan Develop and assess practical management options against agreed environmental, social, cultural, technical, financial and coastal-risk criteria Identify quick wins, short-, medium- and long-term actions Provide concept-level recommendations and mapping for access pathways, track closures, rehabilitation, fencing, signage, public facilities, landscape improvements and other priority interventions Provide order-of-cost estimates or cost bands for recommended actions and identify likely funding pathways where appropriate Prepare a detailed implementation schedule identifying priority, timing, lead responsibility, partners, dependencies, approvals, estimated cost and performance measures Provide a monitoring, evaluation and review framework, including recommended review intervals and coastal hazard triggers Community and stakeholder engagement The consultant must prepare and implement a Community and Stakeholder Engagement Strategy (CSES). The approach must be inclusive, accessible, proportionate to project risks and values, and consistent with recognised public participation principles. Prepare a stakeholder analysis and engagement plan for Steering Committee approval before engagement begins Use a mix of engagement methods, including at least one facilitated community workshop and an online or paper survey Provide accessible engagement materials, maps and plain-language explanations of coastal hazards and adaptation choices Explore community tolerance and acceptability of risks and management options for specific assets or groups of assets Maintain an engagement register and prepare a consultation outcomes report Demonstrate clearly how feedback was considered and how the draft FMP changed in response to consultation Support the statutory public-comment period, analyse submissions and prepare a schedule of submissions and recommended modifications