Budget funds coastal adaptation planning and works

Coastal projects and coastal adaptation plans feature prominently in the City’s 2015/16 budget.

City of Greater Geraldton Mayor, Ian Carpenter, said the City’s ever changing coastline is an ongoing battle that the City will be tackling on a number of fronts in the next 12 months.

“The biggest coastal project the City will be undertaking this year is coastal protection works along the Beresford Foreshore. The coastal indication study of the foreshore area has already been completed and detailed designs of beach protection and stabilisation works are currently being produced. Once external funding for the project has been finalised construction is expected to begin before the end of the year,” he said.

“St Georges Beach is the next cab off the rank with a detailed design of beach protection to be finalised in August and it is likely that both beach protection and stabilisation works will be undertaken in the next 12 months.

“Both of these projects follow on the recently completed beach protection and stabilisation works at Grey’s Beach.”

Coastal inundation studies and community engagement in relation to coastal adaptation plans have also been budgeted for.

“The City is currently finalising the Coastal Inundation Study of Point Moore and has applied for grant funding to undertake a second study at Drummond Cove,” Mayor Carpenter said.

In response to growing community concerns about the future of our coastal City, the City will also be partnering with the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council (NACC) to engage residents in coastal planning.

“The City will partner with NACC to engage the community in discussions around coastal concerns. Engagement outcomes will then be used to develop policies for Council in regard to overall coastal adaptation planning.”