Port Stephens Council has been awarded $243,000 to fund a coastal erosion hazard investigation and hazard monitoring strategy.
Delivered through the NSW Government’s Coastal and Estuary Grants Program, the grant-funded project will provide the information needed to improve long-term coastal protection for Port Stephens. Funding will support specialist investigations and erosion modelling to identify current and future hazards.
Port Stephens Mayor Leah Anderson welcomed the grant as a meaningful way to deliver longer-term protection for Port Stephens treasured coast and waterways.
“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,” Mayor Anderson said.
The studies will span the open coastline from Fingal Bay to Stockton Beach, as well as the outer port east of Soldiers Point and the inner port west of Soldiers Point. The data gathered will establish formal coastal erosion hazard lines, allowing Council to identify trends and track changes in the coastline.
Outcomes from the studies will inform future updates to the Port Stephens Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan, ensuring land-use policies are aligned with the level of coastal risk. Additionally, future planning and works at vulnerable sites such as Shoal Bay and Corlette Beach can be optimised to improve resilience to climate change impacts.
Mayor Anderson said that the outcome of this grant was key to ensuring ongoing delivery of key actions from the Coastal Management Program.
“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,” Mayor Anderson said.
Council’s Coastal Management Program is a 10-year strategic plan that provides a coordinated framework for managing our coastline. It sets out 67 management actions, 61 to be delivered by Council, to address coastal hazards, protect community assets, and increase resilience to climate change impacts.
To learn more about the Coastal Management Program, visit pscouncil.info/cmp
