SEABIRD is one of three Shire of Gingin centres identified as having coastal erosion highly likely to affect public and private assets and requiring management and adaptation/action in the next 25 years.
The three Gingin areas, which also included Ledge Point and Grace Darling Park in Lancelin, were among the 15 Perth metropolitan and 40 regional spots identified in the Assessment of Coastal Erosion Hotspots in Western Australia report released earlier this month.
The report said in recent years a number of erosion mitigation measures had been undertaken on the Seabird foreshore to protect private properties including multiple renourishment campaigns, installation of flexmat and a rock revetment in 2016.
“Armouring the foreshore is likely to cause permanent loss of a beach in front of the revetment and continued sand loss at the ends of the revetment and further north,’’ the report said.
“Ten publicly owned assets may be at risk of erosion damage in the area and to the north with six assets at risk of damage in the short-term, including beach access paths, the Tulley View car park, boat ramp and stair access as well as the stair case and boat ramp fronting the caravan park.
“The Tulley View car park, ramp and stair case were installed in 2010.
“Thirteen private properties are located behind the revetment constructed as short-term emergency works and are at risk in the medium term and up to 17 private properties, including the caravan park (built strata titles) in the longer-term.
“A revetment was constructed in 2016 to protect three cul-de-sacs and 15 private properties in the short-term, which has now been proposed to extend north to include the Tulley View car park and stair case.’’
The report said the site was mainly used for boat launching, walking, swimming, fishing and for exercising dogs.
“Social pressures at this site relate to maintaining the existing recreational uses as the beach is lost in front of the revetment and boat ramps, car parks and staircases are damaged to the north,’’ the report said.
“There are multiple community groups and residents with an active interest in the foreshore.’’
The report said Seabird was located on an unstable salient with infrastructure located too close to the coast, including private properties.
“Seabird is one of the coastal townsites based on squatters shacks built on the top of the foredunes by lobster fishermen in the 1950s and 1960s,’’ the report said.
“Freehold title was created towards the end of those decades.’’
In the early 1970s the Town Planning Department’s coastal townsites committee recommended against further development of Seabird and that it should be limited to licensed fishermen only due to its vulnerability to erosion and wave action.
“A fuelling jetty was known to have been destroyed in earlier years by storm and erosion.
“Turner St was built on the seaward face of the foredune to provide vehicle access to the beach for the fishermen.
“Erosion is due to instability of the salient from changing meteorologic and oceanic conditions, varying sediment supply and potential downdrift erosion in part from natural outcrops to the south.’’
The report prepared for the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage said the document articulated the views of Seashore Engineering with some information obtained from consultation with local coastal managers.
This the authors said meant the report did necessarily represent the views of the state government or any of its departments.
It also said the investigation had been limited to a brief assessment of each hotspot with some assessments taking place in 2016 and that the assessment focused on the planning component of the coastal regulatory framework.
