Coastal erosion is continuing to create headlines around the country and, slowly but surely, it is impacting on the grey nomad experience.
Some of Australia’s most beautiful beaches are changing and retreating, and some of our most spectacular camping areas are in danger of disappearing.
Whether it be caravan parks in places like Kingscliff in northern New South Wales or campgrounds like Woody Head in Bundjalung National Park also in New South Wales, the threat is the same.
It is an ongoing battle in many places around the country to protect the coastline from the advancing seas. In the last few weeks alone, the NSW State Government has just guaranteed close to $100,000 to help design coastal erosion protection work at Old Bar Beach, east of Taree.
Over in Western Australia, the City of Busselton has been forced to defend the use of sandbag groynes at Scout Road beach, as storms washed away sand restoration works. There are claims that the constant sand restoration works at the beach are a waste of money and the eroded sand is creating another problem by forming a sand bar about 300m offshore.
Back in the east, massive degradation of the beach at Mt Martha south of Melbourne is threatening beach boxes … and it’s far from an isolated problem.
Jeff Yugovic, Mt Eliza Coastcare Coordinator, told a local radio station the problem was getting out of control.
“There is unprecedented coastal erosion on the bay’s coastline, particularly around Mt Martha and Mt Eliza,” he said. “It would appear to be both related to sea level rise and channel deepening, but erosion is much more severe inside the bay than outside the bay.”
Portsea, Mornington and Port Arlington are also said to be at risk.
In areas like Queensland’s Gold Coast, where tourism is the lifeblood of the community, there is constant debate about how the ongoing beach erosion can be stopped.
In the end there is only so much that can be done to slow the march of Mother Nature. Woody Head has been named as one of the fastest-eroding beaches in New South Wales. While artificial dunes planted with wattle, banksia and she-oaks have slowed erosion the beach still retreats by about two metres every year. The magnificent campground there is expected to be completely gone by 2025.
So, what does it all mean for grey nomads? Probably the key message is: “Get out there now and enjoy what you can while you can.”
Which beaches have you seen being eroded? Do you know of any caravan parks or camping areas that have had to be closed in recent years due to erosion? Comment below.
What is happening has been happening since time begun