After five years wasn’t it great to see Planned Retreat replaced by Beach Nourishment in Wooli’s Coastal Plan? But just a plan won’t protect the beach when the big storms hit – it needs money behind it.
It was almost unbelievable – and very welcome – to read in the Sydney Morning Herald on May 7th that “The state government will make its biggest commitment to improving the health of the state’s coastline in decades with more than $70 million to repair eroded beaches and prepare for future hazards”.
The main points I see in the government’s media release on increased coastal funding (which includes my highlights) are:
- This is really important news because for the first time of which I’m aware, the government will publicly commit to protecting needy beaches against erosion on a state-wide basis when it includes this in its Budget announcement on June 21st.
- The gross amount funded is $85 million, of which $20 million is to be set aside, leaving $65 million to be spread over five years on protecting NSW beaches from erosion.
I think beach nourishment will be a major part of this protection based on the feedback we had from the Council, the Dept. of the Environment and Angus Gordon (then Chair of the Coastal Panel) during the preparation of Wooli’s draft plan. This plan estimates that Wooli will need $2 million every five years for beach nourishment.