Coastal Adaptation Strategy 2026

In 2021 Council adopted its first Coastal Adaptation Strategy (CAS), which was developed to assist in planning for the future management of Council’s coastline and associated infrastructure, as well as to better understand identified risks to the community through the effects of potential sea level rise and changes to coastal processes. This work established baseline erosion, inundation hazards and adaptation pathways for the six sections of coastline between Cape Jaffa and Blackford Drain. These include the areas of Cape Jaffa, Wyomi, Pinks Beach, Kingston SE township and Blackford drain area.

This work was undertaken following funding support from the Coastal Protection Board. A further grant was received in late 2025 for Council to update coastal hazard mapping, consistent with the Strategy’s recommendations for five yearly mapping updates.

Council commissioned Hatch (formerly Wavelength) to provide a desktop review to reassess where key assumptions required refinement in light of new evidence and monitoring on-ground changes since the 2021 report.

This update has now been provided to Council in April 2026, which has identified significant developments since 2021 that influence local area hazards.

At Wyomi Beach, multiple sand nourishment campaigns and completion of the Stage 2 seawall extensions in 2025-26 have altered shoreline alignment and reduced immediate erosion pressure, although downdrift erosion north of the structure remains a future key consideration and likely requirement for future seawall extensions north toward the Kingston foreshore township.

At Rosetown, a series of significant storm-tide events during winter 2025 produced overbank flooding from Maria Creek, causing shallow inundation of adjacent roadways, residential streets and low lying vacant land.

Based on updated risk insights and community expectations, the 2026 CAS update prioritises Rosetown (elevated to Priority 1) with emphasis on early low-regret intervention measures, such as road-crest raising, permanent levee wall, targeted cresting of the shared path corridor, stormwater backflow controls and investigation of a wetland/pump-down concept, while effectiveness of a tidal gate/weir system is also independently examined. Council has appointed a Maria Creek Management Working Group including a range of statutory bodies and community members.

Wyomi Beach shifts to Priority 2, focusing on monitoring the recent seawall constructed works and considerations for managing future downdrift (northward) effects.

Further strategic work is now required to develop an implementation plan for the identified adaptation priorities, to provide clear and concise guidance to Council on the requirements to deliver the actions.

This strategy and further implementation plans is key in determining Council’s coastal priorities and which will be used to inform actions and ongoing financial commitment to coastal management through Council’s strategic plans and to support funding advocacy and forward planning.

The original 2021 CAS and the 2026 update can be accessed via the links below.

It is important to acknowledge that the CAS provides proposed strategies for future adaptation pathways; however, any proposed actions will require community input and feedback to support future planning and actions and consider any other proposed alternate pathways.

The CAS is reflective of updated risks identified using current scenarios, and will be a fluid document moving forward, as additional data, research and strategies are pursued.