newy.com.au – Work is under way on a three-month project to stabilise and restore sand dunes at Redhead Beach after shifting sand repeatedly covered parts of the beach car park and nearby facilities.
Lake Macquarie City Council is reshaping the dune just south of the surf club, where the dune profile has changed significantly over the past three years. Council says large amounts of sand have been spilling into the car park and affecting an outdoor shower, bike racks and the main beach access path between the car park and surf club.
Council’s Manager Environmental Systems, Brendan Callander, said the first stage involved clearing the site before machinery moved in to reshape the dune.
“We’re starting by removing weed species, dead wood and debris from the existing dunes,” Mr Callander said.
“After that, earthmoving equipment will reshape the dunes, reducing their height in some places and creating a flatter, wider profile with a gentler slope towards the car park behind.”
The reshaped dunes will reach about 8.4 metres above sea level, roughly three metres lower than the current highest point. Council says the new profile is intended to help stabilise the area and reduce the amount of windblown sand reaching public facilities behind the beach.
“They’ll initially be planted with low-growing native species like spinifex and pigface to stabilise the dune, with larger species like acacia and banksia introduced progressively,” Mr Callander said.
“The aim is to create a self-sustaining cover of vegetation similar to what already exists in the dunes’ north-west corner.”
The project will also change access through the area. An overgrown beach access path through the north-west corner of the dunes will be closed permanently, while the access path midway along the car park will be realigned, with new fencing and upgraded matting. A new dune protection fence will be installed around the dune perimeter.
Further south, the access track leading to Freshwater Creek, also known as First Creek, will be upgraded, and the creek will be realigned to reduce scouring of the dune. A nearby drainage pipe that has been prone to erosion damage will be replaced with an open, rock-lined swale designed to slow and spread stormwater flowing into the creek.
Council will also replace wire and mesh screening along the northern edge of the site to help reduce sand spilling into the outdoor shower area and over the bike racks.
Mr Callander said a site compound would operate at the southern end of the beach car park while the rehabilitation work was carried out.
“We’ve scheduled the work during the cooler months when beach visitation is at its lowest,” he said.
“Weather permitting, the project should be complete and the car park compound removed before the beach season kicks off again in September.”
More information is available on Lake Macquarie City Council’s website.
