The City of Greater Geraldton has decided to put future coastal projects and coastal adaptation plans in the city’s 2015/16 budget.
Ian Carpenter, Mayor of the City , said that Greater Geraldton’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 stabilization works are currently being produced. Once external funding for the project has been finalized 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 finalized in August and it is likely that both beach protection and stabilization works will be undertaken in the next 12 months. Both of these projects follow on the recently completed beach protection and stabilization works at Grey’s Beach, ” added Carpenter.
Coastal inundation studies and community engagement in relation to coastal adaptation plans have also been budgeted for. The city is currently finalizing the Coastal Inundation Study of Point Moore and has applied for grant funding to undertake a second study at Drummond Cove.
In response to growing community concerns about the future of the coast, the city will also be partnering with the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council (NACC) to engage residents in coastal planning. Engagement outcomes will then be used to develop policies for Council in regard to overall coastal adaptation planning.