Councils battle to shore up coastline from erosion

State funding has been allocated to help turn the tide on coastal erosion. A better seashells seawall at Town Beach and an investigation into how to fix erosion at Doddi’s Beach foreshore reserve have received State Government coastal erosion funding in 2023-24. The City of Mandurah will also complete a coastal hazard risk management and adaptation plan to learn more about hazards along its southern stretch of beaches. The plan will be used to guide future decisions about beachfront land use management. Drone research will be held between Cape Peron and Cape Naturaliste by Winjan Aboriginal Corporation for the Peron Naturaliste Partnership, a Mandurah-based organisation that represents nine southwest local governments. Money will also be directed to the City of Rockingham for training community coastcare groups and other conservation volunteers. Rockingham recently installed a temporary granite seawall alongside the $3m Mersey Point granite seawall, which was completed in May last year, in a bid to protect nearby homes from erosion and coastal inundation during severe weather. Planning Minister John Carey said the annual funding helped to manage the threats and pressures faced by the State’s diverse but fragile coastline. “The grants are also targeted to help coastal land managers prepare and implement plans and strategies,” he said.