A new sandbag wall is now protecting 72 metres of foreshore at Clarkes Beach in Byron Bay against coastal erosion.
The NSW Government has spent $1.275 million to install 600 sandbags on unprotected beach in front of a holiday park.
The government says high tides and ocean swells have eroded the beach and dunes to the point where public access and Crown land is under threat.
Of the $1.6m spent on the project, the park operators hired a soil conservation service with the works funded by the state.
Work started in early August and ran for five weeks, the government says, while repairs were also carried out on a sandbag wall that was installed in 2020.
Revegetation work is scheduled for October with fencing to protect regrowth.
The government will spend another $395,000 to add more sand to Clarkes Beach which should finish next year.
SANDBAG WALL ‘PROVIDES PRACTICAL PROTECTION’
Minister for the North Coast Janelle Saffin says beaches on the North Coast “face pressure from coastal erosion, severe weather and high tides”.
“This funding delivered practical protection for the reserve at Clarkes Beach to enhance the visitor experience and help minimise the risk to our valuable community assets,” she says.
“Investments like this at Clarkes Beach supports our coastline and the communities that rely on it.
“While we can’t control the weather and ocean conditions that affect our beaches, we can take practical action to protect our natural assets, cultural heritage and community infrastructure.”
The announcement follows the release of a Climate Council report that says Australia faces a damage bill of $880 billion by 2100 due to rising sea levels and coastal flooding; click here to read that report.
Northern NSW was identified as the most vulnerable region to coastal erosion.
