Call for priority for dune vegetation

Gosford Greens Cr Terri Latella is calling for a higher priority to be given to the retention of sand dune vegetation after the rapid erosion of dunes at Ocean Beach.

The sand dune area, at the beach access track near Barrenjoey Rd, has begun to collapse away causing vegetation to drop off onto the beach below.

"If you have lived in the area for 15 years, you will notice this area has not eroded away as quickly as it has in the past couple of years," Cr Latella said.

"The biggest issue is how quickly this area has eroded away and this highlights the importance of the vegetation in keeping it together.

"This is good data for council to use when people complain about the vegetation along the Ettalong Beach foreshore.

"Council cannot do anything to recover the area in terms of placing more sand at the site to reduce the impact of the erosion, it is just a natural occurrence that we can monitor and keep a close eye on."

Cr Latella said it was alarming to see the rate at which the erosion was occurring.

"This may have something to do with the shifting of the sands out at Little Box Head and the Palm Beach Ferry taking an alternate route through the Ettalong channel," Cr Latella said.

"What is alarming is to see the vegetation on the sand dunes after the sand has dropped off causing the scrub to fall away with it.

"But what is important to note is if the vegetation was not here in the first place the sand in this area would have all eroded away by now.

"That is why it is now so important for council to monitor the area and take care of the vegetation."

Cr Latella said she became aware of the area after making regular visits to the Ettalong foreshore and surrounding vegetation.

The issue was also highlighted to her by Ettalong dune campaigner Ms Margaret Lund.

"A lot of people don't understand the importance of the dune vegetation and think they would get more beach area if it didn't exist," Cr Latella said.

"But the truth of the matter is the vegetation absorbs all the energy that comes from the water and without this I would hate to see what this area would look like.

"At the end of the day it is about the public having an understanding about the importance of the dune vegetation and not about the way it looks."

Council's coordinator of natural open space Mr Larry Melican reaffirmed Cr Latella's stance on the issue.

"The purpose of the line of vegetation along Ettalong foreshores is to create this root system to hold the sand together and prevent it from eroding away," Mr Melican said.

"The vegetation can act as a huge line of defence against the recent high seas, storms and flooding we have been seeing.

"The sand will rebuild itself naturally but it is hard to say when this will occur and the time frame.

"It is just too hard to predict."

Clare Graham, 14 May 2009 Interviewee: Cr Terri Latella, Gosford Council Larry Melican, Gosford Council