Regional SA councils seek $10m for urgent coastline protection works

A $10 million boost is sorely needed to help regional South Australian councils protect their rapidly eroding coastlines, the Local Government Association says.

• Coastal erosion threatens beaches’ future
• More West Beach sand carting to stop erosion

A $10 million boost is desperately needed to help regional South Australian councils protect their rapidly eroding coastlines, the Local Government Association says.

Coastlines urgently requiring help include Southend and Beachport in the South-East, and on the Yorke Peninsula.

The boost is one of the LGA’s 12 main funding requests ahead of June’s State Budget, which also includes resources to reform the local government sector. It has also asked for the State Government to advocate for $20 million of annual supplementary road funding, which is currently renewed every two years, to be locked in permanently.

Wattle Range Council chief executive Ben Gower said erosion was wreaking havoc along the coast, causing a caravan park on council land at Southend to “slowly disappear”.

A photo from 1976 shows sand encroaching on agricultural land at Beachport.

Options to safeguard the town’s infrastructure include a rock wall, a groyne field or the creation of an offshore reef.

Mr Gower said sand at Beachport’s Post Office Rock was “marching towards the land” at a rate of about 2m a year, while sand erosion at the Beachport boat ramp cost the council $150,000 in annual cleaning fees.

“The only way to fix the coastline is through funding,” he said. “It (the $10 million ask) is really just a drop in the ocean given the issues we’re facing right across the state.”

LGA president Sam Telfer said the funding boost was needed so coastal ratepayers weren’t expected to foot the bill for coastline upkeep.

Environment Minister David Speirs said the Government had already announced a $5.2 million fund to revitalise the state’s coastline, parts of which he said were “particularly struggling”.

“This is something we are actively looking at improving; however, there unfortunately often isn’t a quick or easy fix,” Mr Speirs said.