Stockton Beach Mass Sand Nourishment Project on Time and Under Budget

Credit: Destination NSW

The Stockton Special Advisory Panel (SSAP) has met for the final time in 2025, which covered the finalisation of the $6.2 million Coastal and Estuarine Risk Mitigation Program (CERMP), and commencing works funded by the $21.5 million investment from the NSW Government.

 The CERMP has been jointly funded by the Commonwealth Government and City of Newcastle to support Phase 1 and 2 of the Stockton Beach Repair Blueprint. Phase 1 included the initial beach nourishment of 130,000 cubic metre of sand, delivered in October and November 2023. Phase 2 involved environmental assessments and the process of attaining the necessary approvals, licenses, and permits for mass sand nourishment works.

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) contracted GHD to complete a Review of Environmental Factors. As an Environmental Impact Statement was not required, $740,000 has been saved. This saving will be reinvested into the project.

The next major part of the project is the application for an offshore mining licence, a first for NSW. Once the offshore mining licence has been approved, we will progress to Phase 3. This phase will focus on putting out a tender for dredging works, awarding the dredging contract and finally delivering mass sand nourishment.

“Getting the environmental assessments completed on time and under budget is a huge milestone for Stockton Beach," said Chair of the Stockton Special Advisory Panel and Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp.

“We are now moving onto securing a mining licence for dredging. Mining licence approval times vary from project to project, this dredge is about community safety and environmental protection. Once the application is submitted, I will be writing to the Minister to push for this project to expedited.”

The SSAP will continue to monitor progress on these projects, meeting up to 3 times per year throughout the delivery of mass sand nourishment.

“Thank you to the Federal Government and City of Newcastle for getting this project this far. It is great to have all levels of government working to protect Stockton Beach," Said Time Crakanthorp.