newy.com.au – Port Stephens Council will map erosion risks along its coastline after securing a $243,000 NSW government grant for specialist investigations and hazard modelling.
The work will cover the open coast from Fingal Bay to Stockton Beach, as well as the waters east and west of Soldiers Point. It is intended to identify areas exposed to erosion now and under future conditions, including more severe weather and rising sea levels.
The funding, awarded through the Coastal and Estuary Grants Program, is for investigations and a hazard monitoring strategy rather than coastal protection construction. The project will establish formal erosion hazard lines so the council can track changes and identify vulnerable areas.
Those findings could influence where and under what conditions future development is allowed. The council said the data would inform later updates to the Port Stephens Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan, which guide land use and development decisions.
It would also be used to plan future works at sites including Shoal Bay and Corlette Beach, where erosion poses risks to public land and infrastructure.
Port Stephens mayor Leah Anderson said the region’s beaches were central to its community and visitor economy.
“It’s all about caring for our coastline. Our community’s identity, lifestyle and local visitor economy are tied to our spectacular beaches, which are under threat from severe weather and rising sea levels,” Cr Anderson said.
The project forms part of the council’s 10-year Coastal Management Program, which contains 67 actions to address coastal hazards, protect community assets and prepare for climate change impacts. The council is responsible for delivering 61 of those actions.
Cr Anderson said the grant would help move the council from short-term responses towards longer-term shoreline planning.
“This funding validates the importance of our 10-year Coastal Management Program, and the need to continue delivering outcomes for the community and coastline. It allows us to move away from reactive fixes and step into a future of proactive shoreline management,” she said.
More information is available on the council’s Coastal Management Program webpage.
