Tuross erosion a climate change challenge for Council

Eurobodlla Council had the bull dozers waiting in the wings to build a rock wall before the decision is made by the Councillors to proceed with the project. Coastwatchers recently warned that the erosion at the mouth of the Tuross estuary will be an indicator of how the Eurobodalla Shire Council deal with similar climate change induced erosion and it looks like the Council has failed this test.

President of Coastwatchers, Mark Fleming said, “In the tradition of the old red neck Bjelke-Peterson Queensland government the Eurobodalla Shire Council has moved in the bulldozers to rape the natural environment. Most people are aware of the days in the sunshine state when the government of the day, would destroy the heritage of Queensland in the dead of night by simply sending in the wreckers. It looks like those days have arrived in the Eurobodalla to assault the natural environment, judging by the actions of the Council.

“On Monday the Council held an extraordinary meeting to decide on how to address the erosion at the mouth of the Tuross Lakes. However they already had the machinery ready to roll before the Councillors had considered the issue. No other views were sought on the matter, particularly from the public.”
The Council used a new State Environment Planning Policy (SEPP) on infrastructure to get around conducting proper public consultation and were able to build a rock wall to attempt to stabilise the erosion at Tuross. This might sound like a reasonable course of action in the circumstances buy may have long term implications for the sensitive coastal environment.

 “This situation has come about due to a combination of factors. The erosion of the sandy foreshore is threatening the cabins that were placed on the sand dunes some years ago. The sensible action for the Council would have been to remove these cabins and look to long term solutions to the erosion issues.”
He continued, “Other coastal Councils require development in areas prone to erosion to have the ability to be moved in case of emergencies. The cabins at Tuross are classified as ‘moveable dwellings’ under the Local Government Act. Coastwatchers believe that it is reasonable that these cabins be moved rather than try an engineering solution in the coastal environment.”

“Last week the Council approved a pergola to be constructed on a beach at Batemans Bay only metres from the waters edge. In the past, major buildings have received provisional development approval at Wharf Road only metres from the waters edge. At Long Beach dune care works were removed following complaints from neighbours. This wanton ignorance of coastal processes and total disregard for the environment seems to be the dominant view at Council at the present time.”

 “Coastwatchers will be taking this issue and others to the State Government to highlight the need for balanced decision making in the control of the coastal environment. We believe that the Eurobodalla has no interest or ability to deal with the dynamic nature of the coastal environment,”
He concluded, “This issue has been a litmus test of Council’s attitude to dealing with coastal erosion and they have failed miserably. With the predictions for significant sea level rise in the future we cannot leave these important decisions to the Council or we will end up with a concrete coastline.”