Coastal Management Program

In 2016, the NSW Government introduced a new framework to manage the coastal environment in an ecologically sustainable way for the social, cultural and economic wellbeing of the residents and visitors of NSW.

We are in the process of preparing a Coastal Management Program (CMP) which aims to provide a long term, coordinated strategy for managing the coastal zone in accordance with the Coastal Management Act 2016 (CM Act) and local objectives. This management program will be implemented through coordination between ourselves, state agencies and other key stakeholders.

Each CMP follows a five-stage program that is outlined in the NSW Coastal Management Manual:

  • Stage 1: Identify the scope of a CMP
  • Stage 2: Determine risks, vulnerabilities and opportunities
  • Stage 3: Identify and evaluate options
  • Stage 4: Prepare, exhibit, finalise, certify and adopt the CMP
  • Stage 5: Implement, monitor, evaluate and report

Stage 1: Scoping Study(PDF, 7MB) was completed in May 2021. The Scoping Study helped us identify the community and stakeholders and prepare an engagement strategy, determine the context of coastal management in the local area and establish roles, responsibilities and governance arrangements to deliver management actions across the our local region.

The remainder of the CMP will be divided into four ‘chapters’ based on geographic areas, to better manage localised issues. Each of the stages 2, 3, 4 and 5 will be done repetitiously for the four below chapters (areas) to ensure site-specific detail to enable best management of the on-ground issues. We are currently working on projects associated with Stage 2. It is anticipated that the CMP will be finalised from 2024.

Lake Cathie/Lake Innes & Bonny Hills Estuary & Coastline

Covers the open coastline area from the 4 x 4 access track adjacent to Dirah Street, Lake Cathie to the southern side of Grants Head at Bonny Hills

Current and planned projects in the development of Stage 2 of the CMP include:

  • Hydrodynamic model update of Lake Innes/Lake Cathie
  • Coastal recreational user needs analysis (LGA wide)
  • Illaroo Road coastal hazard protection review and co-design
  • Investigation into existing creek entrance behaviours for Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills
  • Acid Sulfate soils management
  • Water quality improvement strategy

Hastings River Estuary

Current and planned projects in the development of Stage 2 of the CMP include:

  • Bank and riparian condition Assessment
  • Assessment of estuarine flood/inundation hazard
  • Water Quality Improvement Strategy

  • Assessing the impact of sewage overflows on oyster harvest areas: Hastings River estuary

Camden Haven River Estuary

Current and planned projects in the development of Stage 2 of the CMP include:

  • Assessment of estuarine flood/inundation hazard
  • Water quality improvement strategy
  • Bank and Riparian Condition Assessment

Port Macquarie-Hastings Open Coastline

(excluding the open coastline that is covered in the Lake Cathie/Bonny Hills area)

Current Projects in the development of the CMP include:

  • Coastal Hazard Assessment & Coastal Vulnerability Assessment Mapping
  • Sea Country Project
 

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