Posted on July 2, 2025
Emergency erosion repairs began at Wamberal Beach on Tuesday, July 1, ahead of a predicted major storm system set to hit this week.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a Coastal Hazard Warning, forecasting damaging surf conditions from Tuesday evening.
In response, machinery was brought onto Wamberal Beach to carry out urgent coastal protection works.
The repairs, co-ordinated by Central Coast Council and emergency services, targeted six beachfront properties — leaving many other residents questioning why their homes were excluded.
Two excavators were spotted working on the beach, but the rising swell quickly halted further progress.
Locals described the situation as a “a comedy of errors” with confusion over who was receiving protection and when.
“Owners are shaking their heads and can’t fathom why some are getting works and not others,” one resident said.
“This week is really going to highlight where the government and Council have stuffed this up.
“Action should have been taken three months ago when we first raised the alarm.”
Council confirmed on June 30 in a letter to the residents that emergency works would begin at select sites on Pacific St and Ocean View Dr, citing ongoing erosion impacts and forecasts of worsening conditions.
The repairs were being carried out under the direction of the Local Emergency Operations Controller (LEOCON), but many residents said the process had been reactive rather than proactive.
Council carried out sand scraping at Wamberal Beach late on Tuesday in a bid to offer some protection but sand was seen washing away almost immediately.
Meanwhile, at The Entrance North, residents facing similar threats said they were receiving no emergency works at all, despite some properties already teetering on the edge.
“This is now beyond our worst nightmare,” one local said.
Wamberal Save Our Sand (SOS) volunteer Mark Lamont said no-one wanted to see houses lost, but storms had been dragging houses into the sea at Wamberal Beach and elsewhere for more than 50 years.
“Landowners bought and built on the foredunes knowing the risks … acknowledged on beachfront property title deeds that many landowners signed,” he said.
He said while some beachfront landowners blamed authorities for being too slow to respond with emergency works whenever storms arrived, such blame was misplaced and unfair.
“Authorities, experts, and even some residents know that while adding rocks and bags might provide a sense of security for some, such works can actually create more hazards, scouring the public beach and chewing out the foredunes of neighbours,” Lamont said.
“That is why some beachfront residents do not consent to neighbours’ emergency works.”
Lamont said experts had advised SOS that the focus needed to shift from property fortification to improving beach resilience.
“Improved beach resilience would reduce risks to houses but would not sacrifice the public beach in the process,” he said.
“Experts also remind us that that sea storms and erosion are natural beach dynamics, part of the beach formation process, not a problem.
“We have to work with nature rather than pretending we can shut it out with fortification.
“If the houses and the public beach are to stay, we need to lead with offshore sand nourishment.
“Nourishment would restore a wide beach buffer at North Entrance and Wamberal beaches, improving beach resilience, enabling the restoration of vegetated foredunes – a win for everyone.”
He said that like a problem tooth, the issue would need ongoing management.
“The risks will never be eliminated but they can be better managed,” he said.
“Critics say a big storm would wash away sand as soon as it is dumped at the beach, but that is not the case.
“Sand nourishment causes waves to break further out to sea.
“The foredune is no longer the main line of defence.
“When sand is eventually eroded in storms, it is not lost; it sits just a short distance away from the beach and can be returned to the beach within weeks.
“We saw that happen at the Gold Coast recently after Cyclone Alfred.
“Hopefully homes will not be lost to these storms and we will see a shift to proactive beach management to improve beach resilience rather than reactive fortification efforts.
“This shift needs to be highlighted in the CMP (coastal management program).”
Coastal authorities advised residents to stay off escarpments, decks and balconies, and to follow signage and safety directions.
The emergency works are separate from the Reconstruction Authority project, with The Entrance North’s scope of works currently sitting with the RA for approval.
Wamberal residents received scope of works notices this week, but many said they hadn’t had time to review them amid ongoing storm preparations.
These will be sent off to the Reconstruction Authority for approval once residents sign a non-binding agreement.
