Community input required to shore up beloved coastline

City of Newcastle is calling on the community to help shape the future of the coastline between Bar Beach and Merewether by providing feedback on potential management strategies.

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Investigations show this area is at the most immediate risk from climate change-driven threats such as erosion and sea level rise.

Over time this will lead to narrowed sandy beaches and a loss of space for people to enjoy, as well as impacting events such as surf carnivals and Surfest, while also putting nearby surf clubs, walkways and roads at risk.

Program Lead for Coast and Estuary, Dr Josh van Lier, said City of Newcastle was developing a long-term Coastal Management Program (CMP) for the area between Nobbys Headland and Glenrock Lagoon, collectively known as the Southern Beaches.

“We need effective, practical and long-term strategies to keep this coastline section safe, accessible, and fit for future use” Dr van Lier said.

“This phase of consultation for the Southern Beaches CMP focuses on the Bar Beach to Merewether stretch as it is at the highest and most immediate risk.

“With increasing pressures such as climate change and growing visitor numbers, managing our coastline while balancing community enjoyment and environmental care is more important than ever.”

CMPs identify coastal management issues and the actions required to address them. This includes how and when actions are to be implemented, their costs and proposed funding mechanisms and cost-sharing arrangements.

Coastal hazard modelling was used to understand natural processes such as wave action and sand movement to estimate how inundation and erosion may change the coastal environment in the future under different sea-level rise scenarios and storm events.

A range of options have since been developed to respond to current and future coastal risks between Bar Beach and Merewether utilising a range of resources such as historic coastal erosion data and geotechnical investigations.

Each management option also considers the potential impacts on the quality of surf breaks along the Bar Beach to Merewether stretch based on the findings of a surf amenity impact assessment.

The community is being asked to provide their feedback on strategies such as beach nourishment, protection structures and a managed retreat, or a combination of these elements, which all come with different benefits and risks.

“We’ve considered whether the options are practical, cost-effective and environmentally responsible, but most importantly, will they effectively address the risks we’ve identified,” Dr van Lier said.

“To emphasise the importance of this program we’ve estimated the ongoing cost of each option, which all run into the millions of dollars.

“People can make their voices heard by spending less than 10 minutes to complete the survey online or by voting in the quick poll, as well as attending one of several planned pop-up events to speak to a City of Newcastle representative.

“The community’s feedback will be used alongside feasibility and viability studies to determine the preferred management options that are included in the draft Southern Beaches CMP.”

Chairman Tim Ryan said the Merewether National Surfing Reserve Committee is happy to be a contributor to City of Newcastle’s Southern Beaches CMP.

“We applaud City of Newcastle’s process of consultation for the CMP,” Mr Ryan said.

“The climate change impacts on our beaches require significant planning and investment from a Local, State and Federal Government level to maintain a level of public amenity and maintain the wave quality and beach amenity along our coastline.

“We are looking forward to an outcome that fairly balances all the interests of the beach community and maintains the quality of the waves on the Merewether to Bar Beach stretch.”

To take part in community consultation head to City of Newcastle’s Have Your Say page.

Consultation closes on Monday 24 November 2025.