‘Urgent’ meeting to address worsening coastal devastation

“THIS is happening at such a rapid rate and we need to be doing whatever we can.”

Serious erosion is continuing to cause concerns on Clarkes Beach in Byron Bay. Some of the beach access points remain closed as of Friday, September 18.

BYRON Shire Council has called for an urgent meeting to discuss coastal erosion at Main Beach and Clarkes Beach.

Cr Sarah Ndiaye raised a motion in a matter or urgency at the council's ordinary meeting on Thursday afternoon.

Cr Ndiaye recalled observing the devastation when she was walking along Main Beach on Sunday.

She said this had worsened in the past week.

"There's steep, sheer faces … there's also a huge amount of debris from fencing and from previous sandbags and other things that are being pulled away from the dunes," she said.

"As I swam the bay, for the first time I could actually see, in places, across the road to the houses in Lawson St.

"On a big swell at high tide, waves could potentially break over that embankment.

"I know staff have been working on a number of things to help improve the situation.

"Unfortunately we're not the controlling landholders of the particular areas in question.

"But I do think those drains need addressing and I think it needs urgent attention.

"This is happening at such a rapid rate and we need to be doing whatever we can regardless of whether or not you believe those drains contribute to it."

Cr Ndiaye's motion called for staff to convene an all land managers of the Clarkes Beach and Main Beach Reserves.

Cr Alan Hunter asked: "what happened to planned retreat" and Cr Ndiaye stressed the issue related to forceful run-off from the drains.

Cr Ndiaye said a joint meeting would help the parties to get past "impasses" which had occurred in the past.

"It's not just what's happening there on the dunal side but also the way it's gouging out (the beach)," she said.

"You actually can't just walk out and go for a swim at Main Beach at the moment.

"There's jagged rocks coming up all the way along. It's impacting surf lifesaving activities, where they can put the flags.

"There's a whole host of things I think, and hope, we can improve."

The motion passed unanimously.

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