Posted on November 7, 2022
Important coastal works along the Illaroo Road precinct will be undertaken by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council with a $235,000 grant from the NSW Government.
Minister for Local Government Wendy Tuckerman said that the funding would be used for urgent sand nourishment.
“This funding enables Council to extract up to 20,000 cubic metres of sand for beach nourishment along approximately 400 metres of beach fronting the Illaroo Road precinct,” Mrs Tuckerman said.
“Previous nourishment at this location has been successful in reducing risks and providing enhanced recreational beach amenity. However, this work has become necessary following erosion events in April and June 2022.
“The sand will provide a buffer against impacts of ongoing recent storm erosion and will significantly reduce the current risk from coastal hazards in the short to medium term.”
Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams said the nourishment, sourced from a designated area of lower Cathie Creek, would provide several community benefits.
“This work will provide additional protection to surrounding public infrastructure and private property against coastal erosion, as well as improvement to the recreational amenity of the beach,” Mrs Williams said.
Eligible councils can apply to the Significant Open Coast Hazards Location Stream of the Coastal and Estuary Grants Program at any time during the financial year for emergency works.
The aim of the Coastal and Estuary Grants Program is to increase the resilience of coastal communities and implement actions that improve the health of the NSW coastline and estuaries. Fifty per cent of the cost of this work is being funded by the state government.
The NSW Government’s Coastal and Estuary Grants Program provides technical and financial support to local government to assist them in managing the coastal zone.
The programs objectives are to support local government in managing the risks from coastal hazards, such as coastal erosion, restoring degraded coastal habitats, and improving the health of NSW estuaries, wetlands and littoral rainforests.
