Public Notice: Council to Engage on Coastal Management Documents

What is 'Our Coast, Our Journey'?

Our coast is important to us all. It provides us with places to live, do business, exercise and enjoy. However, the coast is constantly changing through storm events, rising sea levels and the changes that people make to the coastline (buildings, hard coastal structures and dune/beach changes). As the coastline begins to change, it can impact the infrastructure (for example footpaths, roads, houses, beach access, services etc) in the ‘coastal zone’ and how the coast can be used.

The Shire of Gingin recognises how important the coast is. This project will help the Shire to understand ‘coastal hazards’ and ‘risks’ that may impact the coastline in the future and what the options are for managing these. The Shire is preparing an integrated Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Plan (CHRMAP) for its coastal townsites and a Coastal Management Strategy (CMS) for its coastlines.

These documents will give us a comprehensive and integrated understanding of how our coastline will be impacted in the future and how we can plan for and manage these changes in the four coastal townsites and along the coast.

Why are we preparing an integrated CHRMAP when we have already done a CHRMAP and Coastal Inundation Study?

In 2019 Cardno prepared a CHRMAP for Lancelin, Ledge Point and Seabird that examined erosion risks and adaptation options. In 2020 Baird prepared an Inundation study for Lancelin, Ledge Point, Seabird and Guilderton.

However, there are some pieces of the puzzle missing so the Shire is now working to fill those gaps. This includes risk assessment and adaptation options for Guilderton, responses to inundation risks for Lancelin, Ledge Point, Seabird and Guilderton, and an assessment of what else has changed across the four coastal towns. This will give us a comprehensive and integrated understanding of how our coastline will be impacted in the future and how we can plan for and manage these changes in the four coastal townsites. 

In addition, CHRMAPs contain a significant amount of technical information which can be difficult to understand. As a result, we will be producing a summary document that provides this information in an easy-to-read document using simple language.

What is a CHRMAP?

CHRMAP is the acronym for a ‘Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Plan’. It is a study prepared to communicate information about future coastal planning. It includes a technical assessment to understand the existing and predicted coastal processes, includes a social assessment to understand the community values associated with the coastline being studies, and considers financial and environmental implications.

The State government’s Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Planning Guidelines (July 2019) provide guidance for decision makers to develop and implement effective CHRMAPs. You can view these guidelines here.

The key components of a CHRMAP are:

• Understanding the local environment and community values.
• Assessing how much things can cope with the impact of climate change.
• Identifying the risks (likelihood of an event occurring and the consequences of that event occurring).
• Analysing the findings and evaluating the management options.
• Identifying the adaptation options.
• Identifying funding options, monitoring and review of frameworks

The CHRMAP will estimate where the coastline is likely to be in the short, medium and long-term future.

By understanding where the coastline is likely to be in the future, it allows us to understand what infrastructure may be impacted by coastal processes and investigate which options for managing these impacts might be appropriate in particular areas.

CHRMAPs contain a lot of text which is hard to understand. How can I find out what these words mean?

CHRMAPs do contain a lot of technical terms which can be difficult to understand. Key coastal processes and terms used in coastal planning can be found in the Glossary of Terms below, or by viewing State Planning Policy 2.6 here.

What is a CMS?

A Coastal Management Strategy (CMS) is a plan that provides recommendations and specific actions for managing the coastline.  The plan proposes ways to protect existing assets, modify or relocate assets and suggests new assets to enhance parts of the coast and protect its value to the community.

For the Shire of Gingin, the design scenarios will take into account the impacts of coastal erosion and inundation highlighted in the integrated CHRMAP that is being completed. The CHRMAP will identify options to mitigate coastal hazard risks and assess the most preferable options.  Options include not allowing new development to occur in areas that have been identified to be affected by coastal hazards, relocating or removing things which may be at intolerable risk of damage from coastal hazards, using design measures and/or management strategies that make the risks from coastal hazards more acceptable, and/or undertaking works that will preserve the foreshore, public access, public safety and significant property and infrastructure.

The CMS will recommend other actions that will support implementation of the short-term requirements of the CHRMAP.

What options are there for managing coastal risks?

There are four main adaptation options (adjustments that can be made) for managing coastal risk.

• Avoid – not allowing new development in areas identified to be affected by coastal hazards.
• Planned or managed retreat – relocating or removing things which may be at intolerable risk of damage from coastal hazards.
• Accommodate – design measures and/or management strategies that make the risks from coastal hazards more acceptable.
• Protect – works that will preserve the foreshore reserve, public access, public safety and significant property and infrastructure.

Different options are appropriate for different locations taking into consideration the type of coastline, community values, environmental impacts and cost implications.

Why is the CMS being prepared now?

The area of coastline from above the Nilgen Nature Reserve down to the Wilbinga Dunes, including Lancelin, Ledge Point, Seabird and Guilderton, contains valuable assets such as beach stairs, other beach access, seating, shelters and parkland. The area has been directly impacted by erosion and flooding over many years.

The CMS will address these negative impacts and proposes ways to protect and enhance the assets within this area or manage the impacts effectively. It is important to plan so that the money spent on rehabilitation and protection of the area is put into effective treatments.

The CMS will also recommend other actions that will support implementation of the short term requirements of the CHRMAP.

Who is preparing the CHRMAP?

The Shire is preparing the CHRMAP and CMS with the assistance of a team which is made up of technical specialists in:

• Coastal management (coastal hazard and risk assessment)
• Statutory and strategic planning
• Community engagement
• Environmental science
• Landscape architecture

How will the CHRMAP and CMS impact my property?

The CHRMAP will identify the areas that are at risk of being impacted by coastal hazards and when they are likely to occur, and will make recommendations on the appropriate management options for different areas.

The CMS will propose actions and projects that help to preserve and protect natural and other infrastructure such as playgrounds, parks and picnic areas.  Some of the actions may include restricting or reducing access to certain areas, reducing some of the activities allowed in an area or relocating activities. 

The impact on your individual property depends on where it is located, as the hazards and risks vary throughout the coastline.

You are now able to view the documentation and understand if and how your property may be impacted.