City Secures Funding for Coastal Erosion Protection

The City of Rockingham has successfully secured $196,000 from the State Government’s Coastal Adaptation and Protection Grants Program, to help deliver important sand renourishment works along beaches within Warnbro Sound.

A number of beaches in the north-eastern area of Warnbro Sound are experiencing ongoing issues with erosion. To address the problem, the City will renourish several sections of coastline in Safety Bay and Waikiki.

Beach renourishment involves installing a significant quantity of sand to widen the existing beach, increasing its resilience to erosion from winter storms. The sections of coastline where the City will deliver these works include:

• The beach along Safety Bay Road between the Bent Street Boat Ramp and Donald Drive Over Sand Boat Ramp.
• Along the beach at Waikiki Foreshore between the Safety Bay Road/Malibu Road roundabout and Warnbro Beach Road (either side of the Waikiki Beach access ramp).
• Several locations on Warnbro Beach Road including near the View Road car park, Francis Street car park and Michael Road car park.

The grant funding acquired from the State Government will cover 50% of the cost of these works, with the City to cover the other half of the $392,000 project. Works will start from the end of September 2022.

“Our City is home to 37 km of spectacular coastline, and given the length of beaches we have there are some areas that are susceptible to the ongoing problems caused by erosion,” City of Rockingham Mayor Deb Hamblin said.
“Planning for future generations is a key aspiration for the City, and our Coastal Hazard and Risk Management Adaptation Plan has identified a number sites within Warnbro Sound as requiring renourishment work to preserve them.

“The City thanks the State Government for providing this funding to assist in combatting coastal erosion hotspots.”

The sand used during these works will come from the City’s Point Peron sand trap and will be of similar colour and texture to the existing beach. It will be mechanically screened beforehand to ensure it does not contain materials such as sea wrack, drift wood or stone aggregates, and this process will also ensure the sand is free of any odours.