Shoalhaven City Council, has successfully obtained five grants valued at more than $1.1million from the New South Wales Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) Coastal and Estuary Planning Grants Program, to help manage the health of the region’s coasts and estuaries and improve the resilience of coastal communities.
Successful grants applications were obtained for the Shoalhaven Coastal Management Program ($180,000), Jervis Bay Coastal Management Program ($120,000), St Georges Basin, Sussex Inlet, Swan Lake and Berrara Creek Coastal Management Program ($300,000), Lower Shoalhaven River Coastal Management Program ($326,666) and the South Mollymook Coastal Protection Design and Approvals ($210,000).
The grants will go towards the preparation of Costal Management Programs (CMP) for each area except for South Mollymook, with the funding going towards a detailed design and environmental assessments and approvals for the preferred seawall at the golf club and car park at the south end of Mollymook Beach.
Prior to the funding announcement, work had begun on drafting the project briefs for these CMPs based on Council’s Adopted CMP Scoping Study.
Mayor, Amanda Findley, said, “Ensuring integrated and sustainable management of our coastal zone is a high priority for Council. Our coast is an irreplaceable social, economic and environmental asset for future generations as well as a place of leisure, relaxation and play for our community.”
“Three Coastal Management Advisory Committees for North, Central and South regions of Shoalhaven were formed late last year and have met twice to date. The Committees are currently assisting with the review of Draft Project Briefs for the Open Coast and Jervis Bay CMP, as well as the Sussex Inlet, Berrara Creek, Swan Lake and St Georges Basin CMP to follow soon.
“Further consultation will take place with the broader community and stakeholders once a consultant is awarded and the preparation of the CMPs commence.”
Council is required by state legislation to prepare a Coastal Management Program for the estuaries and sections of the Shoalhaven’s 165km coastal zone. Shoalhaven City Council manages most of the region’s beaches, bays and headlands, and some of the lakes and estuaries, often in partnership with state
government agencies.
