City of Newcastle will seek the final tick of approval from the NSW Government for a $63 million plan to buffer Stockton’s coastline from erosion.
Councillors voted unanimously last night to endorse the Extended Stockton Coastal Management Program (CMP) and formally submit it to the NSW Environment Minister for certification.
City of Newcastle’s Executive Director of Planning and Environment, Michelle Bisson, said this was a significant milestone in the long-term protection and enhancement of Stockton’s coastline.
“The adoption of this Extended CMP establishes a clear pathway for the delivery of mass sand nourishment supported by regular sand top-ups, which has been identified as the most feasible, viable and acceptable long-term solution, and has received overwhelming community support,” Ms Bisson said.
“It also includes vital short-term actions for the urgent protection of critical public assets in Stockton.
“The CMP was developed in collaboration with the community and government agencies and is the culmination of many years of hard work by the project team and advocacy from the Stockton Community Liaison Group.
“We now look forward to receiving certification from the NSW Minister for the Environment, which is a crucial step to unlock grant funding eligibility and streamline approval pathways for critical protection works.”
The Extended Stockton CMP covers a geographical area stretching from Little Beach to the Port Stephens Local Government Area boundary.
It contains 79 management actions, including beach nourishment and sand management activities, urgent interim coastal protection works for critical assets like the Mitchell Street seawall, and the development of a coastal monitoring and decision-making support system.
It is forecast to cost $63 million to implement over the next decade, with City of Newcastle expected to invest around $25 million into its delivery, most of which will be directed towards the construction of coastal protection structures to mitigate immediate risks.
The Federal Government will contribute $1.47 million primarily through the Coastal and Estuarine Risk Mitigation Program (CERMP) for sand sourcing investigations.
The NSW Government is earmarked to contribute approximately $35 million, which includes its $21.5 million election commitment for mass sand nourishment, however this is not scheduled to occur until the 2027/28 and 2028/29 financial years.
Ms Bisson said this delay means that the construction and renewal of expensive coastal protection structures itemised in the CMP, which are necessary to protect critical public assets in the short term, are likely to be required before mass sand nourishment is delivered.
“The Extended Stockton CMP sets a long-term strategy to offset the impacts of the NSW Government-owned Newcastle Harbour infrastructure, including the entrance breakwaters and artificially deepened navigational channel,” Ms Bisson said.
“The implementation of the mass sand nourishment program and the investigation and determination of a governance, funding and implementation framework for ongoing sand top-ups will be led by NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and guided by the Stockton Special Advisory Panel, chaired by the State Member for Newcastle.”
Community engagement played a crucial role in shaping the final plan, with 90% of respondents supporting ongoing sand top-ups as well as mass sand nourishment during the public exhibition period. A petition with 1,233 signatures also underscored the strong community desire for a holistic sand nourishment strategy led by the NSW Government.
For more information on the Extended Stockton CMP, visit the project page on City of Newcastle’s website.
State Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp and City of Newcastle Executive Manager Transport and Regulation Ryan Tranter with the City of Newcastle work crew completing the shared path connection on Bar Beach Avenue, as part of the Memorial Drive crossing upgrade.