A SECTION of concrete footpath at Sandringham baths has collapsed as foreshore erosion in the area worsens and authorities continue to work on plans for remediation.
Big seas over Easter pounded the sea wall between Ramsgate and the mouth of the Georges River.
Sandringham Stingrays swimming group founder Warren Pegg said Rockdale Council needed to act quickly.
"If they leave it too long, the whole wall could collapse and that would be more costly to fix," he said. "During the big seas, waves came over the wall, across the grass and on to the road [Vanston Parade]."
Former environment minister Robyn Parker visited the baths last July to announce a $150,000 state government grant.
Rockdale Council was to provide the same funding for a project which would see geotextile sand "pillows", a scientifically developed version of a sand bag, stacked along 130 metres of the foreshore. A boulder retaining wall would also be rebuilt.
The council said in its grant application that luxury homes stood ‘‘only 10 to 15 metres’’ from the foreshore.
A council spokesman said this week that the footpath at the baths was closed following the collapse and interim repairs had been undertaken.
‘‘Works will be required to protect the bottom of the sea wall and stairs to the baths and to the footpath area,’’ he said.
The spokesman said the design for ‘‘a geotextile toe protection and rock revetment wall’’, which would be about 250metres long, was ‘‘in the final stages of completion’’, as was a review of environmental effects for the proposed works.
‘‘A costing will also be prepared on the completed design,’’ he said.
EROSION FEARS
THE state government has yet to commit to further costly work to tackle sand movement in the area.
Ports Minister Duncan Gay’s chief of staff did an inspection two months ago.
A council spokesman said the minister’s office and the council were ‘‘continuing to work in partnership’’ looking at the contributing factors causing erosion of the western foreshore of Botany Bay and seeking to identify short- to long-term management actions.
‘‘The minister’s office has indicated support for this important area of Sydney,’’ he said.
Should the council act quicker?
