Cronulla Beach rehabilitation begins again after storm swells

Two weeks after damaging storm swells battered the coast, a southern Sydney community is facing another round of foreshore repairs. But talk of costs and future damages can be heard up and down the beach.

More than two weeks after damaging storm swells battered the coast, a southern Sydney community is facing another round of foreshore repairs.

But locals have questioned whether a costly cycle of major works can be sustained any longer.

It comes after Sutherland Shire Council completed a million-dollar rehabilitation of the Cronulla shoreline in 2022 when “devastating” storms eroded the beaches and almost toppled the lifeguard tower.

Council said the current damage was not as extensive as in the past, however many inspections are yet to be completed.

“Large, powerful surf conditions have impacted Sutherland Shire beaches, with initial assessment conducted in recent days having identified significant sand erosion but no evidence of damage to coastal infrastructure,” a Sutherland Shire Council spokesperson said.

Cronulla is facing another round of foreshore repairs after two recent storms. Picture: Elizabeth Pike

“The Prince Street seawall and North Cronulla sandstone seawall built following significant sand erosion due to storm activity in 2022 have held up to recent heavy swells, protecting vital coastal infrastructure.

“As the swell dissipates over the next few days further inspections will be undertaken to assess any remediation work that may need to be performed to our beaches, beach access routes or coastal infrastructure in the interests of ensuring the safety of local residents and visitors to our beaches.”

Local residents Brian and Gina Ford said it was disappointing to see excavators on Cronulla Beach once again, less than two years after major repairs were completed.

“A lot of the banks were washed out and it was only last week that another big surf came,” Mr Ford said.

“I can notice the difference now with the disappearance of lots of sand dunes, but apparently it was like that seven months ago as well, so it wouldn’t have had a chance to rebuild.”

The lifeguard tower almost fell over two years ago when the supporting structure was undermined. Picture: Elizabeth Pike

Ms Ford said the council could only do so much to accommodate increasingly frequent, and extreme weather events.

“The beach is just getting narrower and narrower, you can really see the difference,” she said.

“(Repairs are) costing millions, and then the ocean takes it away.”

As part of the post-2022 rehabilitation effort, 70,000 cubic metres of sand were dredged from the nearby Port Hacking river to rebuild the beaches.

Fellow local resident Charles Edward, 82, said the dredging system may work again but would carry a hefty price tag.

“There is very little sand left over on the sand hills, a lot of it has gone up the river and they were dredging it and dropping it out here off South Cronulla,” he said.

Mr Edwards said it was difficult to stop the inevitable. Picture: Elizabeth Pike

“But the costs of that were just extraordinary. We are more fortunate here than people at Collaroy, you wouldn’t want to have a house or property there.”

However, Mr Edwards said it was only a matter of time before current repairs would be undone – regardless of whether council continued dredging, created beach groynes, or reinstated angled beach paths – an effort washed away in the recent storms.

“The sea will always win,” he said.