Tie dredging to beach renourishment, says Chamber

The Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has called on the Central Coast Council to formulate a long term strategy to renourish and restore the beachfront at Ocean Beach south of Ettalong Point including rock packing and promenades.

"It is no longer practical to wait for Mother Nature to reinstate the old beach profile," said Chamber president Mr Matthew Wales.

"Over the last 12 months, it has been clearly evidenced that tinkering with dune vegetation and shifting sand around with excavators has been largely useless and a waste of money," Mr Wales said.

"The Council needs to get serious about tying in the dredging of the Ettalong Channel with major beach renourishment south of Ettalong Point as part of a permanent solution to the ongoing coastal erosion," he said.

"This may mean that we have to consider rock packing of the foreshore and major promenading between Ettalong Point and Ocean Beach Surf Club.

"You only have to look at the huge success that the Ettalong Foreshore upgrade has been to realise that a major capital investment is long overdue.

"Not only is the foreshore a major safety hazard, it is now becoming an embarrassment at a time when we are trying to attract visitors and tourists to the area.

"They wouldn't stand for this state of affairs at Terrigal and nor should local residents.

"We have one of the best coastal views and safest beaches yet the foreshore looks like a war zone."

"The Chamber is calling on the Council to get on with job and put some serious money aside to fix the problem along with the Ettalong Channel dredging," Mr Wales said.

Source:

Media release, 20 Jan 2018

Matthew Wales, Peninsula Chamber of Commerce