By Gary Warner

Legend has it that Cnut the Great, or King Canute, who lived from 995 to 1035 ruling Denmark, England, Norway and Sweden, tried unsuccessfully to command the waves of the sea to recede before him.

Residents of Chapman Road along the Beresford foreshore must feel like Canute, as erosion has been a headache for them for longer than most would like to remember.

Many believe that the erosion was accelerated by the commencement of harbour deepening works in 2002.

A complete new dual-use pathway along the foreshore had to be built after the original path collapsed into the sea, leaving only fragments behind as reminders of its existence.

With the ocean advancing yet again, the City of Greater Geraldton is currently preparing documentation for the next phase of the Beresford Foreshore Coastal Protection and Enhancement project.

Working with Department of Transport and the Geraldton Port Authority, this phase will deliver design development and detailed design documentation.

It is hoped that this new project will address the impact of coastal processes on the Beresford foreshore between the Batavia Marina and Bluff Point.