‘We're talking about coastal inundation': surf club's plea to save community
Beaches across the Hunter have been stripped away and laid bare after years of erosion damage, leading to questions about the protection plan.
Stockton Surf Club president Paul Bernard said the City of Newcastle's draft plan for protecting Stockton Beach had "gaps."
In a community petition by the club, it was pointed out the draft extended Stockton coastal management plan (CMP) lacks a funding strategy for sand top-ups and proper safety protocols.
"We're definitely not against the CMP. It's a critical part of our beach management," Mr Bernard said.
"We're talking about making sure we've got the right plan moving forward to make sure we see sand on Stockton beach and that we're getting value for the money."
The petition and the CMP public exhibition are now closed.
Stockton Surf Club president Paul Bernard. Picture by Blair Wise
Stockton Surf Club president Paul Bernard. Picture by Blair Wise
Local government points the finger
The City of Newcastle's draft of the extended Stockton CMP has long-term strategies for addressing erosion issues.
The draft said funding "may be gained" from City of Newcastle internal funds; government grants; and local stakeholders, such as land developers and owners on the northern section of Stockton beach.
A City of Newcastle spokesperson said the council had called on the state government to deliver on its $21 million election promise to fund mass sand nourishment.
"Delivering the CMP is a complex process, and each action outlined in the plan needs to be championed and funded by the relevant stakeholder or agency," the council said.
Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp said getting sand on Stockton beach was his "number one priority".
"Work in this space has not been done before and current investigations will set precedents for not only Stockton, but the rest of NSW," he said.
Mr Crakanthorp, the new Stockton Special Advisory Panel chair, said the state government was researching the best sand to use, under local and federal funding.
He said it would be a decision between the northern arm of the Hunter River and offshore sand sources.
Mass sand nourishment and regular top-ups were the key solutions in the CMP expected to work as a buffer against the ocean.
Mr Crakanthorp said he was working with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water who had a business case to support the allocation of the 2021 commitment in the 2025/26 budget.
He said the government could start putting the funds toward protecting the region.
"I look forward to working with City of Newcastle to see the delivery of sand nourishment on Stockton beach," he said.
Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp. Image by Newcastle Herald
Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp. Image by Newcastle Herald
David Allan Hopper Dredger. Image by Vessel Finder
David Allan Hopper Dredger. Image by Vessel Finder
The City of Newcastle said the draft had a subplan that outlined how authorities would respond to extreme ocean storm events.
But in their review, the surf club said it was enough and that Stockton needed a storm surge early warning system to prepare for future dangerous weather patterns.
The petition called for the David Allan dredging vessel’s license to be reinstated and a plan for public access to north Stockton beach, where erosion has made it difficult for the club to perform beach rescues.
The CMP said the Port of Newcastle would contribute to sand nourishment and left it to landholders north of Corroba Oval to figure out public access to the north beach.
A lifetime of erosion
Mr Bernard has seen the impact of coastal erosion his whole life and said the situation has worsened.
"We still see massive erosion in and around the area," he said.
"But not just erosion. We're now talking about coastal inundation in people's homes, where we live."
Massive swells hit Stockton beach last week, ripping more sand from the coastal community that has been battling increasing threats from erosion for more than 60 years.
The extended Stockton CMP is projected to cost $62.95 million over 10 years.
Honorary Professor Ron Boyd, a coastal geology expert at the University of Newcastle, said the erosion in Stockton began in the 1940s and was "progressive".
Mr Boyd said the underwater sand repaired the damage to the coastline for decades, but there's now hardly any left.
"The reason behind the erosion is primarily man-made."
Honorary Professor Ron Boyd, a coastal geology expert at the University of Newcastle at Stockton Beach. Picture by Blair Wise
Honorary Professor Ron Boyd, a coastal geology expert at the University of Newcastle at Stockton Beach. Picture by Blair Wise
He said Stockton beach used to be 100 metres wide and was constantly replenished with sand from Nobby's beach, but the Newcastle breakwater and the ongoing dredging of the harbour had blocked this natural process.
"That's pretty much a completely artificial source of the erosion here," he said.
Mr Boyd said sand nourishment was the "best solution".
The federal government and the City of Newcastle spent $6.2 million in 2023 to deliver 130,000 cubic metres.
The impact of erosion stretches along the coastline.
Last month, wild weather events at Bar Beach swept the sand away, exposing a section of bedrock and posing a risk to people accessing the beach.
Save Stockton sign. Picture by Blair Wise
Save Stockton sign. Picture by Blair Wise
