Foreshore under threat from nature

It is many years since we made a trip north along the coast.

The last time we were in Kingscliff, for instance, there was still some native vegetation along the top of the dunes and development had only just begun.

Now it is a large metropolis as it were, with high rise units, caravan parks, clubs and boutique coffee shops along the coastal road.

The business fraternity and residents evidently got their way, for much of the former dune area is now a wide expanse of mown lawn, about 50 metres wide across the top, for people to exercise themselves or their dogs, or just sit.

It must have cost a great deal to establish and to maintain and now this whole area is under threat from nature.

For instance, a very large rock wall is all that protects the bowling club from falling into the sea and as with all sea walls, the erosion is even worse at the end of the wall and has removed much of the mown grass and poinciana trees, which can now be seen lying on the beach.

The erosion will no doubt wind around behind the club and so it will be attacked on all sides.

Large expanses of dune are being held up by sand bags and/or rock walls but still the sea is relentlessly wearing it all away.

Caravans have been moved to the rear of the parks and campers at the front could easily wake-up and find themselves swimming.

If you don't believe me, just use the internet to look up erosion at Kingscliff.

Surfers might be interested to do the same for Kirra Beach on the Gold Coast, where severe erosion has put the Australian Surf Titles in doubt.

Eight per cent of beaches there are too badly damaged to host the event.

As is usual, residents and traders rant at the Council's failure to prevent the ongoing erosion, despite spending millions on the project.

You can even view a series of photographs taken of these beaches since the early part of the last century, monthly in later years and notice what the power of nature can do.

It is interesting, therefore, to return to the Central Coast and find that the story is being repeated here in Ettalong.

Again public money is due to be wasted because man just cannot accept that he must live with nature, instead of re-making it.

History demonstrates that the same mistakes are made over and over again and that this supposedly intelligent species is a very slow learner.

Unfortunately, it seems that much of what is done to our natural environment is largely due to greed, supported by ignorance.

When will we ever wake up?

Email, 28 Mar 2013

Margaret Lund, Woy Woy Bay