Coastal plan includes dune-covered seawall

A kilometre-long dune-covered seawall, or "terminal protective structure", along The Esplanade on Ocean Beach is one of the proposals being considered for the Hawkesbury Nepean River System Coastal Management Program.

The "rock-armoured revetment" would "stretch from Kourung St boat ramp to Ocean Beach Surf Life Saving Club".

Other proposals include a foreshore management plan for Phegans Bay.

The program also includes repairs to seawalls at Lance Webb Reserve in Ettalong and at Patonga, and "foreshore stabilisation works" near the Rip Rd Reserve at Booker Bay.

Similarly, foreshore restoration and stabilisation works are proposed for Lara St, Koolewong, which fronts Woy Woy Bay.

"Foreshore restoration and stabilisation works at the Woy Woy waterfront" are also mentioned but the exact location, extent and nature of these works are not described.

A permanent water level guage is to be installed at "Ettalong Creek", which appears to refer to Ettymalong Creek at the southern end of Umina Beach.

Both the Lara St and Woy Woy waterfront project are subject to "the Brisbane Water Foreshore Prioritisation Tool", No details about how the tool established priorities are given.

The program proposes the development of a number of strategies, frameworks, plans, studies, reviews and audits.

A coast vegetation and dune management strategy would be developed for Broken Bay beaches.

A Umina-Ocean Beach nourishment framework would also be developed.

A foreshore masterplan and a sand management plan would be developed for Patonga.

A Brisbane Water water quality improvement plan "would aim to enhance and protect the water quality of the estuary".

Reviews would include a review of waste facilities and collection in the coastal zone, and a strategic assessment of surf life saving patrol towers.

The feasibility of a tidal levee in Patonga, running from Meroo Ave to Jacaranda Ave, would be investigated.

A sedimentation study of the Woy Woy Creek outlet into Correa Bay would be carried out.

The program refers in a number of places to other programs and plans, but does not say where they can be found.

For example, the proposed beach maintenance program "integrates with the Beach Maintenance Program from the Open Coast Beaches CMP", but no information is provided about where this can be found.

Another example is a coastal dynamics monitoring program for Broken Bay, which "would work with the Central Coast Council's Environmental Monitoring Program". No details are provided about the council's monitoring program or where they can be found.

The "coastal hazard emergency action sub-plans" for Broken Bay beaches would be "activated ... as required", but no information about these plans is given.

Tidal inundation around Brisbane Water, including Woy Woy, would be audited.

Stormwater outlets at Umina Beach would be inspected.

Coastal assets and infrastructure would be regularly monitored and effectively maintained.

A number of "estuary wide" actions would appear to apply to the Peninsula.

These include "reviewing and updating Development Control Plans" to manage "stormwater and downstream estuarine water quality", to manage "coastal and estuarine hazard risk" and to promote "eco-friendly features in private seawall applications".

A number of community and school education programs are proposed.

There would be a litter prevention strategy for the Hawkesbury River, riparian rehabilitation and "retrofitting existing public seawalls with eco-friendly features" to encourage estuarine vegetation.

Floating Landcare and Clean4Shore would be supported.

Other projects include a "tide alert" calendar, "citizen science" photography and webcams installed at high usage boat ramps.

Opportunities for environmentally-friendly moorings would be investigated.

The program is open for public comments until November 24.

These can be submitted on the Hawkesbury Nepean River System Coastal Management Program website via http://penne.ws/Bnmgk.

Information about Central Coast Council's Broken Bay beaches studies and its Gosford Beaches Coastal Zone Management Plan which covers the area can be found at http://penne.ws/hKztG

Information about the "terminal protective structure" seawall can be found at http://penne.ws/ffg7e.

SOURCE:

Website, 25 Oct 2024

Hawkesbury Nepean River System Coastal Management Program