Council has been awarded more than $900,000 in funding from the NSW Government to help manage and protect the Shoalhaven coastline.
Shoalhaven secured the funding through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Waters (DCCEEW) Coastal and Estuary grants program to undertake work on eight separate projects from Kioloa in the south to Shoalhaven Heads in the north.
Mayor Patricia White said she was pleased the funding would allow Council to address a variety of coastal hazards and undertake thorough investigations into the condition of existing coastal infrastructure and assets to determine any maintenance required.
"We know storms are becoming more frequent and more severe, and these natural processes are having a lasting impact on our coastline and communities," Cr White said.
"This funding is vital as it will enable us to better understand the extent of the impact and undertake the work necessary to safeguard our coastal areas and strengthen their resilience for the future," she said.
"I'd like to thank the NSW Government for this significant investment in our region that will ensure we can enjoy the natural beauty of our coastal areas for many decades to come," she said.
The projects funded have been prioritised based on 13 management actions outlined in the Shoalhaven Open Coast and Jervis Bay Coastal Management Program (CMP).
The local projects that were funded include:
- $276,669 - improve coastal erosion resilience - Boat Harbour, Bendalong
- $37,500 - foreshore nourishment and revegetation work - Burrill Lake
- $146,667 - coastal hazard management investigations - Callala Bay and Currarong
- $50,001 - coastal protection works – Callala Bay Sailing School
- $100,000 – establish coastal asset management review and monitoring program
- $26,666 - estuary entrance management feasibility investigations – Mollymook Beach, Manyana Beach, and Hyams Beach
- $205,000 - implementation of priority cliffs and slope hazard reduction infrastructure across Shoalhaven Local Government Area (LGA)
- $70,000 - Shoalhaven coastal protection structure condition assessment and evaluation.
Work has started on each of these projects and is expected to be complete within the next three years.
The community will be updated on the progress of work via Council's website.
Of the 29 councils to receive funding under the 2024-25 Coastal and Estuary grants program, Shoalhaven secured the largest amount of funding.
For more detail about the projects that have been funded visit the NSW Government's Coastal and Estuary Management grants webpage.
