We may be just a tad bias, but we reckon that we live on the best coastline in Australia (and maybe even the world!). From the national Surfing Reserve at Norah Head, the pumping swell at Avoca Beach, the magnificent cliffs at Foresters Beach, the serenity of Cabbage Tree Harbour and the sprawling sand of Budgewoi Beach – the Coast has a huge diversity in its beaches and what they have to offer.

This diversity also makes it a challenging and dynamic Coastline for Council to manage. We currently have 5 Coastal Zone Management Plans which set out the management options for our coastline. A change in the legislation means that Central Coast Council now need to develop one new holistic Coastal Management Program for our open coast, which is a great opportunity for us to review the way we manage our coastal environment.

Community Engagement so far:

Over the years we’ve heard you via:

• your participation in the development of existing Coastal Zone Management Plans
• the feedback you submit on a weekly basis via our Customer Service Centres, emails etc.
• your participation in the Wamberal Beach Terminal Protection and Sand Nourishment - Investigation and Concept Design.
• the waterways survey - view the Our Coast, Our Waterways survey results here
• recent consultation to understand issues and management opportunities along our open coastline.
• Your comment contributions via our online map.
• Conversations at our recent drop-in sessions – view the engagement summary here.

All this information will be used to assist in informing the Open Coast and Coastal Lagoons Coastal Management Program.

Progress - Previous management plans:  

With the diversity of our coastline, comes complexity and over the years there has been a lot of plans, studies and recommendations provided for the management of our incredible coastline. So far 65% of the previously adopted actions have been completed (or are ongoing actions). For the other 35%, it is anticipated that these actions will be carried over into the new Coastal Management Program were appropriate.  

Progress – Stage 1 Scoping Study:

Stage 1 Scoping Study for the Open Coast CMP has been completed and reviewed by Council and NSW DPIE staff. It Identified knowledge gaps, recommended Stage 2 studies and provided a forward program for next Stages.

Progress – Stage 2 Technical Studies:

We were awarded a Coast and Estuary grant worth $327,000 from the NSW State Government to allow us to complete the studies needed as the second stage of the CMP development process.

The first study we completed was a Social and Recreational Use Study to understand the recreational use and recreational infrastructure along our coastline and provide a comprehensive series of recommendations for consideration in the development of the new Coastal Management Program.

The second study we completed was a Coastal Hazard Study (report pending) which was a very comprehensive study of the regional and local coastal processes operating on the Central Coast coastline. The study adopts a data-driven approach and at its centre is an analysis of the Central Coast’s coastal sand budget and a defining of the coastal hazards affecting the Central Coast coastline.

The purpose of the report is to provide:

• an improved understanding of coastal sand movements for the entire Central Coast LGA
• a detailed review and update of Central Coast Council's existing coastal hazard assessment studies using contemporary data and a uniform approach
• the scientific basis for understanding the nature and extent of risks to public safety, built assets, coastal land, cultural heritage/features, ecosystem health and recreational amenity from coastal hazards
• the scientific basis for understanding of the factors that contribute to vulnerability from current and future risks.

Stage 3 Options Assessment:

Stage 3 is all about using existing information and recommendations from stage 2 studies to develop an options assessment, shaped by community consultation. The aim is to identify and evaluate possible management options in order to develop the best management program, guided by scientific evidence and community values.

Consultation update

In January and February this year, we sought community feedback on our open coast using an interactive map and hosted six pop up events at Terrigal, Avoca, Toowoon Bay, The Entrance, Soldiers Beach and Killcare.

Here is a snapshot of your feedback.

The next opportunity to have you say will be during the public exhibition of the draft Coastal Management Plans. Due to the unique management requirements of our coastal lagoons, we will now be developing separate plans for the open coast, and for our coastal lagoons.

We will continue to keep you updated on how you can get involved.