Open Coast and Jervis Bay Coastal Management Program

This page provides information for the Open Coast and Jervis Bay Coastal Management Programs (CMPs). Please visit the Shoalhaven Coastal Management Program Get Involved page for information regarding Council’s broader CMP program.

With 165kms of breathtaking coastline in the Shoalhaven LGA, Council understands the immense environmental, social, cultural, and economic value that this coastline provides for our community.

Shoalhaven City Council is currently developing Coastal Management Programs (CMPs) across the Shoalhaven to plan for the future of our coastline and estuaries, in accordance with the Coastal Management Act (2016). It considers historic events, current conditions, and future trends including population growth, environmental conditions, and climate change. CMP’s identify coastal management issues and the actions required to address these issues in a strategic and integrated way. It will also detail how and when those actions are to be implemented, their costs, and funding mechanisms.

There are five stages to developing a CMP, which are outlined in the Coastal Management Manual.

Open Coast and Jervis Bay Background

Council’s adopted Citywide CMP Scoping Study (August 2020) (Stage 1) recommended that the Open Coast and Jervis Bay required CMPs. Council has applied for and successfully received a grant from the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) to develop these CMPs.

The Shoalhaven Open Coast and Jervis Bay CMP was developed in line with the staged development process identified in the NSW Coastal Management Manual and Coastal Management Act 2016. This included technical studies and detailed assessments of coastal hazards and risks facing the Shoalhaven coastline, as well as extensive community engagement on the issues related to coastal management within the LGA. Council’s approach and commitment to community engagement through the development of the CMP has been highly commended by the Department for Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and other State Government agency stakeholders.

Following the public exhibition of the CMP from November 2023 to February 2024, the CMP was updated based on feedback received from the community and State Government Agency stakeholders. The updated CMP was presented to both the CMP Advisory Committee’s and Council to gain endorsement and adoption of the final CMP. Council formally supported the adoption of the CMP on the 6 May 2024.

The CMP was certified by the NSW Minister for Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Heritage in August 2024. Following certification, the CMP now enters Stage 5 where Council will implement, monitor, evaluate and report on management actions identified in the final CMP.

The CMP comprises a program of integrated management actions that are intended to address key issues, and harness new opportunities for the management of the Shoalhaven coastal zone. It outlines 116 management actions that are to be implemented over a forward 10-year management timeframe under seven overarching strategies for managing the coast, which include:

• Governance and Management
• Community and Stakeholder Engagement
• Land Use Planning and Adaptation
• Protection of the Coastal Environment
• Protection of Cultural Heritage
• Asset Management
• Emergency Planning and Response

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