NAMBUCCA Valley councillors have received a report into erosion issues at the Nambucca Heads V-Wall.
The report follows an on-site meeting between representatives for Council, Crown Lands, and the Department of Climate Change Energy Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
In recent months, erosion on the southern side of the V-Wall has exposed rocks and scree and caused concerns for residents and visitors to the area.
According to Keegan Noble, Council’s Environmental Project Officer, the erosion of the reserve occurs on two fronts: beside the footpath behind the V-Wall and on the Inner Harbour Beach.
The first of these, he concludes, is due to waves breaching the wall, running over the footpath and eroding the beach area on the southern side of this path.
Waves and river action have resulted in the second of these erosion points.
“This has been exacerbated recently by sands that have built up on the beach in the V of the wall which has increased the wave run height resulting in more waves overtopping the V-Wall,” he said.
Ownership and management of the area surrounding and including the V-Wall is complex.
The V-Wall itself and the footpath along the short walled area is owned, managed and maintained by Transport for NSW (TfNSW).
Inner Harbour Beach (riverside of the wall) meanwhile is on Crown land and is managed by NSW Crown Lands.
“While not having any management or maintenance obligations in this area, in the past Council has undertaken maintenance works based on community concerns,” Mr Noble said.
After the March on-site meeting with stakeholders, Council submitted a scope and costing for work to repair the erosion as well as to reduce the impact of waves on the break wall and reserve in the future.
Council is currently awaiting a response from Crown Lands.
“As part of the remediation work to reduce wave overtopping of the break wall there is scope to remove some sand from the V-Wall beach to assist with the beach nourishment repairs on Inner Harbour Beach,” Mr Noble added.
Further to this, the report notes that Council has been awarded a grant under the DCCEEW Coast and Estuaries Planning Stream to design a solution via the installation of groynes to prevent future erosion and increase sand on the Inner Harbour Beach area.
However, this grant comes with a co-contribution cost of $50,000, of which Council is requesting Crown Lands put forward all or part.
“This project is critical also to Council assets as Council is the Crown land manager for the carpark, footpath and shower area near the Inner Harbour Beach which is being impacted by the erosion,” Mr Noble said.
By Ned COWIE
How can this be owned by the Crown Lands, The Department of Greenies and who ever puts their hand up, when it was man made and it was the river.