City budget includes major investments along our coast

As part of the City’s 2023/24 annual budget, major investments in the protection of our coastline will be made, with several initiatives receiving State Government support.

More than $200,000 in State Government grants will complement the City’s $750,000 funding for reactive maintenance and long-term coastal management works, including:

• $80,000 for the City to construct a Water Access Ramp from the gazebo at Mettams Pool, connecting accessible parking on West Coast Drive to the water.
• $70,000 for the City to finalise mitigation treatment options at Mettams Pool and Waterman’s Bay.
• $65,000 shared amongst the Northern Beaches Alliance (Cities of Nedlands, Cambridge, Stirling, Joondalup, Wanneroo and Gingin) for a coastal monitoring program that will inform us about the impact adaptation treatments have on our northern beaches in order to select the right options.
• $9,705 for the City to investigate and enhance the biodiversity with project partners Stirling Natural Environment Coastcare Inc (SNEC) and Perth NRM.

In January of 2023, the City released our draft Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Planning (CHRMAP) report, which identified that some areas along the coast would be at extreme risk of coastal erosion as early as 2045.

The CHRMAP was designed as a strategic, long-term plan to guide responses to existing and potential coastal hazards, assessed at 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-year horizons. The plan enables the City to use the latest scientific data and geophysical investigations in making the case for State and Australian Government support.

Mayor Mark Irwin said the investments in this budget marked an important next step in our significant journey and that the grants from the State Government were a welcome contribution.

“At the June 2022 Australian Local Government Association conference, I moved a motion calling on the Federal Government to provide funding to local governments who will need to prepare coastal areas for the increased risks of a changing climate,” he said.

“That motion was unanimously supported, and since that time the City has delivered our CHRMAP report and based our funding requests on the very latest scientific data and risk mitigation techniques.

"$750,000 has been allocated in our annual budget for this financial year towards reactive maintenance and short- and long-term coastal management works as identified in the CHRMAP. These works include Mettams Pool water access ramp works, other minor planned coastal works, sand nourishment, and coastal monitoring.

“The City has developed a five year coastal asset upgrade program based on condition and risk ratings to assist assets being renewed at the appropriate time subject to budget parameters.

“I am very grateful for a series of grants from the State Government which will either support City projects or collaborative coastal projects, from the building of a disability-friendly water access ramp at Mettams Pool to a better understanding of the biodiversity of our dune system.”

Member for Scarborough Stuart Aubrey MLA said CoastWA was the funding program responsible for these grants and formed part of the State Government’s $33.5 million strategic response to ensure long-term, sustainable land use and development of our coast.

“Mettam’s Pool is one of the most pristine coastlines in the world but pressures from coastal erosion means we need to do more to protect it,” he said.

“This important funding to coastal projects across the State will ensure we can sustainably manage the threats and pressures on our diverse but fragile coastline.

“Grassroots efforts like these projects help to preserve our world class beaches for generations to come.”

For more information on the State Government's Coastal Adaption and Protection Grants program, visit CoastWA grants (www.wa.gov.au).