Coastal Management Program

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Kiama Council's Coastal Management Program (CMP) for the open coast of the LGA was endorsed by Council in 2024 and certified by the Minister on the 23 September 2024, under section 17(2) of the Coastal Management Act 2016. A notice was published in the NSW Government Gazette on the 11 October 2024.  

The CMP provides Council, other organisations and our community with a practical and coordinated way to manage our coastline, using a science-based approach.

This includes identifying coastal hazards and risks, preserving habitats, maintaining or improving recreational amenity and improve the ability of our coastline to withstand future challenges such as climate change.

The CMP focuses on the open coast from Minnamurra in the north to Seven Mile Beach in the south. 

The CMP has been prepared using the NSW Government Coastal Management framework.

It meets the requirements of the Coastal Management Act 2016, the Resilience and Hazards State Environmental Planning Policy 2021 (SEPP) and the methodology prescribed by the NSW Coastal Management Manual.

The CMP was completed with funding and technical assistance from the NSW Government Coast and Estuary Program.

Delivery of some actions and projects contained in the CMP are outlined below: 

Restoration of Bangalay sand forest at Seven Mile Beach Coastal Reserve

This project aims to restore the Bangalay sand forest endangered ecological community and surrounding vegetation at Seven Mile Beach Coastal Reserve through development of a restoration works plan and associated targeted weed control for the site. The project will conduct targeted weed control across 18ha of bushland reserve, primarily inside the Bangaly Sand Forest Endangered Ecological Community, and will monitor and evaluate progress through photo point monitoring.

Kiama Council thanks the NSW Government Coastal and Estuary grants program for$36,667 funding awarded towards this project.

Council is also contributing funds and resources to the project. 

Total project cost: $55,000 

 

Preparation and response to Kiama coastal hazards at priority high risk locations

This project will build increased preparedness and resilience to coastal hazards at Bombo, Storm Bay, Werri Beach, Church Point, Seven Mile Beach, Kendals Beach and Surf Beach.

The work will focus on the preparation of designs and necessary approvals, in readiness for interim coastal protection works at the above priority high risk locations. This is to facilitate construction if triggers are reached for action to be undertaken. Additional project activities include Church Point geotechnical investigations and concept designs for repair or replacement of existing damaged Coastal Protection Works, and the installation of citizen science beach monitoring initiatives like Coast Snap to involve the community in monitoring coastal morphology across the LGA.

This project will also prepare designs and necessary approvals required to undertake beach scraping at Surf Beach following periods of significant erosion as required.

Kiama Council thanks the NSW Government Coastal and Estuary grants program for $234,845 funding awarded towards this project.

Council is also contributing funds and resources to the project. 

Total project cost: $352,267

 

 

 

Detailed evaluation of built coastal assets

This project will evaluate built assets along the coast including Kiama Surf Life Saving Club, Kendalls on the Beach Holiday Park and Seven Mile Beach pedestrian bridge with the aim to increase resilience to coastal hazards and inform strategic assessments to guide future management of council owned assets.

Detailed evaluations with structural assessments will be conducted for 3 key assets – Kiama Surf Life Saving Club, Kendalls on the Beach Holiday Park and Seven Mile Beach pedestrian bridge – to be utilised for the purpose of updating asset management plans where appropriate and providing strategic direction for managing hazards in the future.

Kiama Council thanks the NSW Government Coastal and Estuary grants program for $90,000 funding awarded towards this project.

Council will also contribute funding and resources to the project. 

Total project cost: $135,000

Seven Mile Beach Reserve restoration works

Kiama Council is undertaking restoration work of the Seven Mile Beach Reserve dune system. The project will primarily target weed control, while combatting erosion and loss of habitat to support restoration and resilience of the Bangalay Sand Forest Endangered Ecological Community (EEC) near Crooked River at Seven Mile Beach.

Kiama Council thanks the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund (CRIF) for $48,422 funding awarded towards this project. 

Council will also contribute funding and resources. 

Total project cost: $53,422

Seven Mile Beach Reserve restoration works

 

 

Contact details

(02) 4232 0444