A father is thanking the Apollo Bay community for saving his daughter's life after a dune collapsed at a popular beach and buried her for almost five minutes.
Six-year-old Samba Brown was rescued on Friday afternoon after the incident at Mothers Beach.
Her dad Jordie Brown says at least six locals started digging when Samba's mum Tiffany, who had been watching their younger son Hugh in the water, noticed her little girl had disappeared from sight.
A recent storm had undercut the bank and the 2.5-metre high dune collapsed and buried her.
"The scary part was no-one saw it," Mr Brown said.
"She was under for four or five minutes … she hadn't been able to breathe for quite a long time.
"These people are all responsible for my daughter being here now.
"She was right at the bottom of the sand and they just kept digging until she popped out."
Samba was taken to hospital for observation and X-rays to assess the possible impacts to her spine and lungs.
She is recovering at home with her family.
Authority acts 'swiftly'
Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority environment and emergency management acting director Leia Howes said a section of fencing designed to minimise foot traffic at the dunes had washed away.
Ms Howes said different management options were being explored.
"We have acted swiftly to protect public safety," she said.
"This beach and others in the area have been heavily impacted by recent high tides.
"We have erected temporary fencing and signage at the site to manage public safety and reduce foot traffic."
The public is being advised to steer clear of the area.
"Our longer-term approach will focus on the reintroduction of indigenous vegetation to stabilise the dune system," Ms Howes said.
Risk of more collapses
Coastal erosion is one of if not the biggest issue on the Great Ocean Road.
Coastal monitoring shows almost a quarter of Apollo Bay's beach has been impacted by sand build-up over the past 50 years, mostly near the harbour wall.
More than 30 per cent of the beach has suffered erosion.
Associate Professor at Deakin University, Daniel Ierodiaconou said man-made infrastructure along the coast had affected where sand ended up.
"The dune is a consequence of sand dumping and did not exist prior to the harbour being developed in the '60s," he said.
"The most important point we need to acknowledge is beaches are dynamic.
"We really need to rethink our approach to building things in the active beach zone moving forward."
In previous years thousands of cubic metres of sand dredged from the Apollo Bay harbour has been dumped onto Mothers Beach.
