Foreshore Protection Management

The Coastal Management Unit, in collaboration with the Kioloa Bushcare group and a Council contractor, recently completed vital revegetation work at Kioloa Beach.

This project involved planting coastal dune vegetation, installing fencing and formalising beach access.

After a successful working bee, where 500 plants were installed, the contractor reported an impressive 98% survival rate.

This could not have been achieved without the dedication of the Kioloa Bushcare group. Their efforts ensure the resilience of this sensitive coastal environment against erosion and human impact.

This project has received financial and technical assistance from the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) – Coastal and Estuary Grants Program.

Over the past year, Shoalhaven City Council has successfully completed a series of Coastal Protection works at Shoalhaven Heads in response to significant erosion events that have impacted the site since late 2021. The initiative included beach nourishment activities, ongoing management of fencing, and strategic revegetation efforts.

The most recent stage of works, completed in October 2023, addressed erosion events impacting public access to the area. Through beach nourishment, weed control, and revegetation, the works complete mitigated immediate risk to public and the coastal environment.

These efforts were made possible with the support of the NSW Government’s Coast and Estuaries Grant Program, showcasing a 1:1 funding agreement with Shoalhaven City Council. Successful coastal management implemented at this location has ensured successful outcomes for the community and improved resilience of our valued coastal area. Council acknowledges the contribution of all stakeholders involved.

The natural dune systems at Narrawallee and Mollymook Beaches have been historically affected by coastal erosion events, weed invasion, urbanisation, historical clearing of dune vegetation, vegetation vandalism, and informal beach access tracks. Council is undertaking a dune care project to improve the resilience and biodiversity of these dune ecosystems that will enhance the heath and amenity of Narrawallee and Mollymook Beaches.

The dune environments at Narrawallee and Mollymook are characterised by low lying shrubs and grasses, with some larger tree species interspersed throughout the hind dune. The dune vegetation at both sites contains areas of the Threatened Ecological Community (TEC) Bangalay Sand Forest. This vegetation community and surrounding areas are being impacted on by woody weeds including Cassia (Senna pendula) and priority weeds such as Bridal Creeper (Asparagus asparagoides) and Asparagus Fern (Asparagus aethiopicus). Works conducted as part of this project will aim to expand and improve upon the condition of these TECs and enable greater resilience for protection into the future.

Council will be implementing management measures to reduce the large extent of invasive weed presence on these dune areas and will include revegetation with native dune species to increase the native biodiversity of the area and promote healthier, stronger dune systems. To complement these works, maintenance will be carried out on many of the beach access tracks to improve conditions for public use. Initial priority works will proceed up until the Christmas Holiday period (2023/24) and will be followed by six months of maintenance to ensure the establishment of revegetation areas and provide results for long-term weed suppression.

The target area for the work is the coastal dunes along the length of Narrawallee and Mollymook beaches and will extend inland to allow for weed control and revegetation to take place throughout adjacent TECs.

This coastal dune management project is being supported by the NSW Government’s Coast and Estuaries Grant Program, with a 1:1 funding agreement with Shoalhaven City Council.

Council’s Coastal team thanks community members for their participation in the walk and talk along Mollymook Beach on Sunday 29 October 2023. The walk was led by ‘Fran the Little Tern’ and ‘Pete the Pied Oystercatcher’ and was a fun and educational activity for all ages.

You can learn more about how dunes and foreshore vegetation mitigate coastal hazard risks by watching these videos.

To learn more about how Council manages the coastal foreshore visit Coastal Estuary Management Planning.

To find a Bushcare or Dunecare group near you have a look at Council's Bushcare web page.

For more information please contact: coastal.management@shoalhaven.nsw.gov.au.

Council's Coastal Team will be onsite at Mollymook Beach Markets to chat with the community about all things coastal management.

Entertaining educators from Eaton Gorge Theatre Company will be at the markets from 9 am to 12 pm spending the first hour walking through the markets in coastal-themed character costumes to encourage people to participate in the educationally fun walk and talk along Mollymook Beach.

The entertaining educators will lead the walk along Mollymook Beach from 10 am to 12 pm.

To register for the walk and talk activity along Mollymook Beach, please go to Eventbrite.

Shoalhaven City Council invites residents of Mollymook, Callala and Culburra beaches to a community workshop to learn more about their local foreshore.

The workshop activities include:

• Indigenous peoples’ values of Coastal Country
• Importance of dunes
• Identifying and planting foreshore vegetation
• Managing cliffs and rocky shores
• Ways to manage and protect your foreshore including Dunecare
• Citizen science activities including CoastSnap

Book into one of the following workshops:

Where: Meet at Mollymook Surf Life Saving Club - 83 Ocean Street
When: Tuesday 14 March 2023
Time: 4pm-5.30pm

Where: Meet at the Callala Beach Community Centre - 89 Quay Road
When: Wednesday 15 March 2023
Time: 4pm-5.30pm

Where: Meet at at the Nowra-Culburra Surf Life Saving Club - 4 Farrant Avenue, Culburra Beach
When: Thursday 16 March 2023
Time: 4pm-5.30pm

Please email your RSVP to Neil Dufty at ndufty@molinostewart.com.au.

Technical and Financial assistance for this project is being provided by the NSW Government under its Coastal Management Program.

Updates on this project are coming soon!

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