Central Coast Council has today welcomed the announcement of a Wamberal Taskforce to help deliver a long-term solution to coastal erosion issues at Wamberal.

Council is progressing designs and options for a seawall at Wamberal, with residents and the community and the expert Taskforce will be important for expediting approvals and the funding model needed to deliver it.

Council CEO, Gary Murphy, who will be on the Taskforce, said Council cannot deliver a permanent solution alone and it was great to see experts around the table committed to finding a solution.

“While we have been focussed on the emergency works responses, and staff have done an amazing job, we have never lost sight of the need for a permanent solution to coastal erosion, not just at Wamberal, but up and down our coast,” Mr Murphy said.

“A permanent solution has been worked on for some time now. I understand residents’ frustration, but at the end of the day, it comes down to funding and who is going to pay for it.”

Central Coast Mayor Lisa Matthews said she was heartened by the Minister for Local Government’s comments today that a review is underway as to how coastal works are funded and particularly to free up more funding opportunities for Councils, not just us, but across NSW.

“We can’t do this alone,” Mayor Matthews said.

“We need state government funding and support. We need coastal engineering experts. To have them all around the table, focused on a positive solution at Wamberal is welcome and something that Council is looking forward to be a part of.

“We also need our community as well and I want to assure them, they will be consulted at every step of the way.”

Council established the Wamberal Terminal Protection Working Group in November 2017 to bring together all the stakeholders to progress discussion relating to coastal erosion at Wamberal Beach. The Working

Group consists of Council staff, representatives from the NSW Government and two representatives from the Wamberal community.

On 29 January 2019, Council resolved to start the Wamberal Terminal Protection and Sand Nourishment preliminary investigations and concept design.

In May this year, Council engaged Manly Hydraulics Laboratory to prepare concept plans for a terminal protection structure at Wamberal to assist residents in implementing a long-term solution. This is part funded by Council and the NSW Government through the Coast and Estuary Grants Program at a total cost of approximately $400,000. It will include workshops with residents and key stakeholders and the concept design is expected to be completed late 2020.