Stark warning for the future of Adelaide’s beaches
MANY prime tourist beaches in Adelaide could become inhospitable rocky shores in the coming decade because of ineffective efforts to arrest headlong coastal erosion, experts say.
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MANY prime tourist beaches in Adelaide could become inhospitable rocky shores in the coming decade because of ineffective efforts to arrest headlong coastal erosion, experts say.
Geologist and coastal environment expert Dr Ian Dyson said all beaches were suffering from severe degradation.
“And its getting worse over time,” he said.
He said the failure to implement angled breakwaters or groyne fields to arrest sand drift and erosion meant that millions of dollars was being wasted each year by the state’s inadequate program of pumping and dumping sand.
“Waves are breaking with full force on many of our coastal dunes which are eroding rapidly, with little chance to recover,” he said.
“It’s all very well to cart in sand but nothing is being done to hold it in place once it has been dumped there”, he said.
Among the beaches in greatest danger are Seacliff and Kingston Park, Glenelg North and West Beach.
Dr Dyson said remedial measures should have been put in place at vulnerable beaches before this winter as storms could rapidly undo much of the expensive sand replenishment efforts involving carting and dumping in front of dunes in recent weeks.
Patrick Hesp, professor in coastal studies at Flinders University, said there was no simple or inexpensive solution to the ongoing erosion and degradation. He said reversing the trend would require a “a great deal more money” — at least $20 million from the Federal Government just to start the process — and huge infrastructure investments in sea walls and offshore structures. “If we want to have sandy beaches to play on and a measure of frontline protection of the coast, doing what we are doing now is still a good if limited option”, he said. “We just don’t have enough sand and getting the amounts we need here would be impossibly expensive. … But what the State Government is doing in keeping sand on the beaches is working pretty well given our limited resources.”
