18 hours ago
72 buildings in danger: 'In limbo' residents plea for Minns to save homes from erosion
Central Coast residents are calling on Premier Chris Minns to act swiftly on a recent pledge to protect Wamberal beach, as a new report has revealed escalating risks due to severe coastal erosion.
A draft Coastal Management Plan (CMP) released by Central Coast Council has confirmed 72 buildings and vital infrastructure are in immediate danger, and a significantly wider area at risk of future erosion and inundation than previously estimated.
"This is a clear signal to Premier Minns that we urgently need a viable solution to safeguard Wamberal Beach and the broader community," Wamberal Protection Association president Chris Rogers said.
Wamberal is among a number of communities on the Mid Coast, Hunter and Central Coast that have had significant volumes of sand stripped from their beaches due to storm surges in the past month.
Stockton, in particular, has lost more sand from the southern end of the beach.
Of significant concern to Wamberal residents is a coastal hazard assessment, which forecasts that future erosion could extend beyond Ocean View Drive, potentially breaking through into Terrigal Lagoon during major storm events.
"While we welcome the Premier's promise to deliver a sand nourishment program for Wamberal beach, it will not guarantee the protection of our coastline," Mr Rogers said.
"It is vital the Premier recognises that successful sand nourishment programs, such as on the Gold Coast and Stockton beach, can only work with coastal protection structures such as revetments or seawalls."
Mr Minns told a recent Central Coast community cabinet meeting he was not convinced sea walls were a sustainable solution to coastal erosion. Instead, he argued that sand renourishment programs, such as those under way in Newcastle, were a better solution.
The draft CMP forecasts the coastal erosion limit reaching Terrigal Lagoon by 2070 in a one-in-a-hundred-year storm event.
"This isn't just about beachfront homes. It's about protecting an entire suburb," Mr Rogers said.
A state government spokeswoman said the ministers for the Central Coast, environment and recovery met with the Central Coast Council mayor and general manager on May 15 to determine how the government could support the council and landowners to undertake emergency protection works at Entrance North and Wamberal.
"Following subsequent meetings between state and council officials, the NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin signed a reconstruction area order on Wednesday, May 21. This order applies only to areas where erosion has impacted properties in the Entrance North and at Wamberal," she said.
"Under the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022, the order enables the possible use of ministerial powers which could allow for Central Coast Council to undertake temporary emergency coastal erosion protection works."
The spokeswoman said the proposed scope of temporary protection works and the carrying out of such works are matters for Central Coast Council and affected landowners.
"Council has procured its own technical advice to develop a possible scope of works. Council will work with landowners on this proposal, as is appropriate," she said.
But Mr Rogers said Wamberal residents were still unable to carry out authorised emergency works to stabilise vulnerable coastal banks, despite Ms Saffin having signed the reconstruction order.
"We have a plan developed by the well-regarded Gold Coast coastal engineer, Angus Jackson, for low-impact emergency works funded by residents and designed to protect public safety. But we remain in limbo as the council has yet to properly brief the minister so the relevant powers under the Reconstruction Authority Act can be activated," Mr Rogers said.
"We're calling on Premier Minns to break the deadlock that's preventing urgent works from going ahead."
Central Coast residents are calling on Premier Chris Minns to act swiftly on a recent pledge to protect Wamberal beach, as a new report has revealed escalating risks due to severe coastal erosion.
A draft Coastal Management Plan (CMP) released by Central Coast Council has confirmed 72 buildings and vital infrastructure are in immediate danger, and a significantly wider area at risk of future erosion and inundation than previously estimated.
"This is a clear signal to Premier Minns that we urgently need a viable solution to safeguard Wamberal Beach and the broader community," Wamberal Protection Association president Chris Rogers said.
Wamberal is among a number of communities on the Mid Coast, Hunter and Central Coast that have had significant volumes of sand stripped from their beaches due to storm surges in the past month.
Stockton, in particular, has lost more sand from the southern end of the beach.
Of significant concern to Wamberal residents is a coastal hazard assessment, which forecasts that future erosion could extend beyond Ocean View Drive, potentially breaking through into Terrigal Lagoon during major storm events.
"While we welcome the Premier's promise to deliver a sand nourishment program for Wamberal beach, it will not guarantee the protection of our coastline," Mr Rogers said.
"It is vital the Premier recognises that successful sand nourishment programs, such as on the Gold Coast and Stockton beach, can only work with coastal protection structures such as revetments or seawalls."
Mr Minns told a recent Central Coast community cabinet meeting he was not convinced sea walls were a sustainable solution to coastal erosion. Instead, he argued that sand renourishment programs, such as those under way in Newcastle, were a better solution.
The draft CMP forecasts the coastal erosion limit reaching Terrigal Lagoon by 2070 in a one-in-a-hundred-year storm event.
"This isn't just about beachfront homes. It's about protecting an entire suburb," Mr Rogers said.
A state government spokeswoman said the ministers for the Central Coast, environment and recovery met with the Central Coast Council mayor and general manager on May 15 to determine how the government could support the council and landowners to undertake emergency protection works at Entrance North and Wamberal.
"Following subsequent meetings between state and council officials, the NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin signed a reconstruction area order on Wednesday, May 21. This order applies only to areas where erosion has impacted properties in the Entrance North and at Wamberal," she said.
"Under the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022, the order enables the possible use of ministerial powers which could allow for Central Coast Council to undertake temporary emergency coastal erosion protection works."
The spokeswoman said the proposed scope of temporary protection works and the carrying out of such works are matters for Central Coast Council and affected landowners.
"Council has procured its own technical advice to develop a possible scope of works. Council will work with landowners on this proposal, as is appropriate," she said.
But Mr Rogers said Wamberal residents were still unable to carry out authorised emergency works to stabilise vulnerable coastal banks, despite Ms Saffin having signed the reconstruction order.
"We have a plan developed by the well-regarded Gold Coast coastal engineer, Angus Jackson, for low-impact emergency works funded by residents and designed to protect public safety. But we remain in limbo as the council has yet to properly brief the minister so the relevant powers under the Reconstruction Authority Act can be activated," Mr Rogers said.
"We're calling on Premier Minns to break the deadlock that's preventing urgent works from going ahead."
Central Coast residents are calling on Premier Chris Minns to act swiftly on a recent pledge to protect Wamberal beach, as a new report has revealed escalating risks due to severe coastal erosion.
A draft Coastal Management Plan (CMP) released by Central Coast Council has confirmed 72 buildings and vital infrastructure are in immediate danger, and a significantly wider area at risk of future erosion and inundation than previously estimated.
"This is a clear signal to Premier Minns that we urgently need a viable solution to safeguard Wamberal Beach and the broader community," Wamberal Protection Association president Chris Rogers said.
Wamberal is among a number of communities on the Mid Coast, Hunter and Central Coast that have had significant volumes of sand stripped from their beaches due to storm surges in the past month.
Stockton, in particular, has lost more sand from the southern end of the beach.
Of significant concern to Wamberal residents is a coastal hazard assessment, which forecasts that future erosion could extend beyond Ocean View Drive, potentially breaking through into Terrigal Lagoon during major storm events.
"While we welcome the Premier's promise to deliver a sand nourishment program for Wamberal beach, it will not guarantee the protection of our coastline," Mr Rogers said.
"It is vital the Premier recognises that successful sand nourishment programs, such as on the Gold Coast and Stockton beach, can only work with coastal protection structures such as revetments or seawalls."
Mr Minns told a recent Central Coast community cabinet meeting he was not convinced sea walls were a sustainable solution to coastal erosion. Instead, he argued that sand renourishment programs, such as those under way in Newcastle, were a better solution.
The draft CMP forecasts the coastal erosion limit reaching Terrigal Lagoon by 2070 in a one-in-a-hundred-year storm event.
"This isn't just about beachfront homes. It's about protecting an entire suburb," Mr Rogers said.
A state government spokeswoman said the ministers for the Central Coast, environment and recovery met with the Central Coast Council mayor and general manager on May 15 to determine how the government could support the council and landowners to undertake emergency protection works at Entrance North and Wamberal.
"Following subsequent meetings between state and council officials, the NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin signed a reconstruction area order on Wednesday, May 21. This order applies only to areas where erosion has impacted properties in the Entrance North and at Wamberal," she said.
"Under the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022, the order enables the possible use of ministerial powers which could allow for Central Coast Council to undertake temporary emergency coastal erosion protection works."
The spokeswoman said the proposed scope of temporary protection works and the carrying out of such works are matters for Central Coast Council and affected landowners.
"Council has procured its own technical advice to develop a possible scope of works. Council will work with landowners on this proposal, as is appropriate," she said.
But Mr Rogers said Wamberal residents were still unable to carry out authorised emergency works to stabilise vulnerable coastal banks, despite Ms Saffin having signed the reconstruction order.
"We have a plan developed by the well-regarded Gold Coast coastal engineer, Angus Jackson, for low-impact emergency works funded by residents and designed to protect public safety. But we remain in limbo as the council has yet to properly brief the minister so the relevant powers under the Reconstruction Authority Act can be activated," Mr Rogers said.
"We're calling on Premier Minns to break the deadlock that's preventing urgent works from going ahead."
Central Coast residents are calling on Premier Chris Minns to act swiftly on a recent pledge to protect Wamberal beach, as a new report has revealed escalating risks due to severe coastal erosion.
A draft Coastal Management Plan (CMP) released by Central Coast Council has confirmed 72 buildings and vital infrastructure are in immediate danger, and a significantly wider area at risk of future erosion and inundation than previously estimated.
"This is a clear signal to Premier Minns that we urgently need a viable solution to safeguard Wamberal Beach and the broader community," Wamberal Protection Association president Chris Rogers said.
Wamberal is among a number of communities on the Mid Coast, Hunter and Central Coast that have had significant volumes of sand stripped from their beaches due to storm surges in the past month.
Stockton, in particular, has lost more sand from the southern end of the beach.
Of significant concern to Wamberal residents is a coastal hazard assessment, which forecasts that future erosion could extend beyond Ocean View Drive, potentially breaking through into Terrigal Lagoon during major storm events.
"While we welcome the Premier's promise to deliver a sand nourishment program for Wamberal beach, it will not guarantee the protection of our coastline," Mr Rogers said.
"It is vital the Premier recognises that successful sand nourishment programs, such as on the Gold Coast and Stockton beach, can only work with coastal protection structures such as revetments or seawalls."
Mr Minns told a recent Central Coast community cabinet meeting he was not convinced sea walls were a sustainable solution to coastal erosion. Instead, he argued that sand renourishment programs, such as those under way in Newcastle, were a better solution.
The draft CMP forecasts the coastal erosion limit reaching Terrigal Lagoon by 2070 in a one-in-a-hundred-year storm event.
"This isn't just about beachfront homes. It's about protecting an entire suburb," Mr Rogers said.
A state government spokeswoman said the ministers for the Central Coast, environment and recovery met with the Central Coast Council mayor and general manager on May 15 to determine how the government could support the council and landowners to undertake emergency protection works at Entrance North and Wamberal.
"Following subsequent meetings between state and council officials, the NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin signed a reconstruction area order on Wednesday, May 21. This order applies only to areas where erosion has impacted properties in the Entrance North and at Wamberal," she said.
"Under the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022, the order enables the possible use of ministerial powers which could allow for Central Coast Council to undertake temporary emergency coastal erosion protection works."
The spokeswoman said the proposed scope of temporary protection works and the carrying out of such works are matters for Central Coast Council and affected landowners.
"Council has procured its own technical advice to develop a possible scope of works. Council will work with landowners on this proposal, as is appropriate," she said.
But Mr Rogers said Wamberal residents were still unable to carry out authorised emergency works to stabilise vulnerable coastal banks, despite Ms Saffin having signed the reconstruction order.
"We have a plan developed by the well-regarded Gold Coast coastal engineer, Angus Jackson, for low-impact emergency works funded by residents and designed to protect public safety. But we remain in limbo as the council has yet to properly brief the minister so the relevant powers under the Reconstruction Authority Act can be activated," Mr Rogers said.
"We're calling on Premier Minns to break the deadlock that's preventing urgent works from going ahead."
