Bayside Council has embarked on a management project to tackle the shifting foreshore of Lady Robinsons Beach, Botany Bay over the next 50 years.
The seven kilometre shoreline of Lady Robinsons Beach from Kyeemagh to Sandringham is shifting in response to historic man-made developments in the bay.
In some areas the sandy shoreline is stable but other areas of the shoreline are prone to persistent erosion, resulting in coastal hazards and minimal beach area.
The council has developed a targeted foreshore management approach that recognises that beach areas prone to erosion are, in some cases, not as cost-effective and feasible to restore and maintain compared with more stable or accreting areas of sandy beaches.
The draft management plan divides the beach into three zones and offers designs tailored to the unique needs of each area.
Zone A - Resilient - areas that are resilient to shoreline change and support beach recreation. This accounts for approximately 4 km (54 per cent) of shoreline.
Management of Zone A areas may include initiatives such as maintaining healthy foredunes where these exist (e.g, Kyeemagh and Riverside Drive at San Souci), beach access and netted swimming areas. Some areas of Zone A include areas of sandy beach backed by existing promenade seawalls providing popular beach-side amenity (e.g, Brighton-Le-Sands) with opportunities for protection upgrades and equitable access. Excess sand build up in these areas will be monitored and may be used to help manage eroded beach areas of the shoreline under Zone B.
Zone B - Restore, Popular but unstable beach areas that are prone to erosion and require intervention to restore and maintain. This accounts for approximately 1 km (14 per cent) of shoreline.
Management of Zone B may include initiatives such as periodic sand nourishment, staged upgrades of existing rock groynes to improve sand retention, improved access to Ramsgate Baths and beach monitoring to inform when nourishment is needed. Initiatives may also include upgrading the existing promenade seawall at the back of the beach to provide improved protection, user amenity and beach access.
Zone C - Protect. Unstable and eroded beach areas requiring improved protection through environmentally friendly seawall design and amenity enhancement. This accounts for approximately 2.4 km (32 per cent) of shoreline
Management of Zone C may include initiatives such as improved coastal protection through environmentally friendly seawall design, promenade amenity enhancements, removal of shoreline hazards, improved access to Vanston Baths and upgrades of public space between the road and the foreshore.
The Draft Management Plan is open for feedback until April 21.
To comment go to ://haveyoursay.bayside.nsw.gov.au/lady-robinsons-foreshore-management-strategy
