Australia’s beautiful beaches are an integral part of its enviable lifestyle. But unfortunately, some of the country’s most popular beaches are slowly disappearing, with urgent action required to save the seaside suburbs from further erosion.
In South Australia, Henley Beach is the latest to suffer from the effects of coastal erosion. Over the past year, the beach has been steadily eroded, leaving the staircases leading down to the beach inaccessible. The boat ramp used for emergency access is also increasingly at risk, as waves crash against its walls.
The cause of the erosion is a combination of natural and human factors. The powerful waves that hit the coast are naturally eroding the beach, but human activities, such as sea walls, sand mining, and coastal development also contribute to the problem.
On March 1, the Department of Environment and Water will be supplying 15,000 cubic metres of imported sand to Henley Beach and Henley Beach South, as well as 10,000 cubic metres to Semaphore Park.
The City of Charles Sturt expressed their appreciation for the announcement, however, they noted that the amount of sand provided was quite limited, as the beaches lose an estimated 115,000 cubic metres of sand every year due to northward drift.
The then Liberal government, on the eve of the March 2022 state election caretaker period, agreed to invest $38.9m in the construction of a sand pipeline to replenish the West Beach area, with building works set to commence in April of that same year.
