Coastal zone

The City has approximately 7km of coastline, including iconic beaches, such as Scarborough, Trigg and Mettams. The vulnerability of assets within the Western Australian coastal zone to coastal hazards such as erosion and inundation is expected to increase in the future. To reduce the impact on coastal areas and assets, the City has developed a Coastal Hazard and Risk Management Adaptation Plan (CHRMAP).

In preparation for the CHRMAP, the City consulted extensively with the community and stakeholders to identify high priority assets and considerations for our precious coastline. The CHRMAP provides strategic guidance for coordinated, integrated and sustainable land use planning and management and is a long-term plan that informs the City’s future decision making with the aim of making the coastline more resilient to coastal hazards.

Useful documents

Document name	Downloadable files
Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Planning	(PDF)
Infographic - Coastal Values Survey Results	(PDF)
Strategic Coastal Process Study	(PDF)

Coastal hazards

Coastal hazards have the potential to impact coastal areas and assets. They have always existed along our coastlines. Coastal hazards are not necessarily associated with climate change, but they will be exacerbated by sea level rise in the future.

Erosion is the main coastal hazard impacting the City of Stirling coastline. Erosion can occur in a short time period - for example due to a storm event, or over a longer period of time - as the shoreline gradually retreats due to rising mean sea level or changes/variability in local coastal process.

If erosion occurs where assets exist, the damage is generally permanent. Erosion, however, is not necessarily permanent with sandy beaches often eroding and recovering seasonally. Both erosion and inundation hazard extents will be mapped for the CHRMAP, at various timeframes from present day to 2120.

For more information, please contact Frank Strever, Engineering Services on (08) 9205 8555.