Coastal erosion monitoring a snap with new station
Residents and visitors can play an active role in protecting our coastline from erosion with the installation of a CoastSnap station at Mettams Pool.
Located on the Mettams Pool southern lookout, the station encourages people to become citizen scientists by taking a photo of the coastline from the CoastSnap cradle and uploading it the CoastSnap portal using a QR code.
Photos uploaded to the portal will be used to inform quarterly reports to the City showing shoreline changes and tracking erosion over time.
CoastSnap started in New South Wales in 2017 and is now a global initiative. The Mettams Pool station, delivered in partnership with Perth Natural Resources Management (NRM), is the third installed in Perth and the first in the City of Stirling.
The CoastSnap station is another tool the City can use to monitor the coastline, adding to regular on-ground inspections, photographic tracking, topographic surveying and targeted checks after major weather events.
It can provide a clearer picture of which areas are vulnerable and where action is needed.
Over the winter months, parts of the City’s coastline have experienced sand movement and localised erosion.
Strong swells, tides and winds naturally shift sand and can change the shape of our beaches, and in some areas, this movement has affected access.
Keeping safe, reliable access to our beaches is a priority for the City.
The sand nourishment carried out in March and other protective measures have helped stabilise key areas and protect coastal infrastructure.
These works have functioned as intended and helped hold the line through tough conditions.
Targeted, minor maintenance at selected locations is underway, including small-scale sand nourishment, sand bagging, reinstating brushing and tidying up affected access paths.
To strengthen our ability to track change, respond early and plan for longer-term solutions, the City is planning to expand the coastal monitoring program using advanced technology such as photogrammetry and specialised nearshore survey equipment.
The City is also an active member of the Northern Beaches Alliance, which is a group of local government organisations from Nedlands to Gingin that meet regularly to share knowledge and collaborate on coastal monitoring and adaption.
The Mettams Pool CoastSnap station is proudly supported by the City as part of Perth NRM's Building Coastal Resilience in Perth's Communities project, funded by the Australian Government's Disaster Ready Fund and supported by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.
