A newly launched group of Wamberal Beach waterfront owners is calling for a pause on proceeding with a seawall as a permanent fix against ongoing erosion.
Property owner Paul Greenburg has formed Owners Against the Wall and is urging other owners of waterfront homes at Wamberal and Terrigal to take a closer look at other options.
“I am new to the argument – I bought my home about 15 months ago,” Greenburg said.
“But I am doing my due diligence and I suppose you could say I have broken ranks with some of the other owners.
“I have had lots of off-the-record conversations with other home owners who would like to see other options investigated and the group, although launched only last week, already has five owners, including myself, as members.
“I plan on doing a letterbox drop this week and am hoping others will join us.”
As Central Coast Council pushes ahead with a preferred seawall option, Greenburg said he was not convinced a seawall was the best option, particularly in light of a recent situation at Collaroy where the beach has been eroded since the construction of a 7m seawall.
“This is a hugely complex issue and there is a lot of cross-wind,” he said.
“But I am concerned the process to date has not been very transparent and I say let’s put a pause on the wall. Let’s put any plans to push through DAs for any sort of wall on hold and let’s hear from the scientists.
“There are many community groups opposed to a wall and the community has to win out here. So let’s all take a deep breath and explore all the options.”
Greenburg said he had met with owners in favour of a seawall and with the Save Our Sand Group, which is completely opposed.
“I have explored both sides of the argument and have found the Save Our Sand group to be more open to alternatives,” he said. “Maybe there’s a compromise somewhere in the middle.
“I will be agitating for a public meeting where all parties can gather, hear what the scientists have to say, and discuss all the alternatives.
“There is a public perception that all waterfront owners are in favour of a wall but post-Collaroy we are seeing some shift in sentiment.”
Wamberal Beach SOS (Save Our Sand) and Surfrider Central Coast said they were excited to partner with the new group.
“The group will be working closely with our organisation as we attempt to gain proper representation for community, homeowners and experts that continue to be ignored,” SOS spokesperson, Hugh Naven, said.
“The establishment of this group and its growing number of members represent a turning point in the process to find a solution to the erosion crisis at Wamberal.
“As it stands, Central Coast Council is set on a wall as the preferred option. Our group hopes the introduction of Owners Against the Wall to the conversation may force Council to reconsider its position.
“The growing opposition to the wall within the Wamberal community depicts the need to reconsider and restart consultation to ensure a representative, safe and effective solution is introduced.”
Terry Collins
At the end of the day what ever you choose should be at your costs. Definitely not the Central Coast ratepayers.
You all chose to live in a house built on sand on the ocean
Simple
Sea wall might buy a couple more decades but the fact remains coastlines retreat, that’s why sea cliffs exist…natural process of erosion just like valleys get deeper as the river keeps eroding, the only option to stop the coastline retreating is for sea levels to fall… oh they are rising i forgot, better to have long term plans to abandon waterfront coastlines because they are all doomed