Residents of Ettalong Beach are wondering just when the $1.8M pledged by the Federal Government for the renourishment and repair of the Ettalong Beach foreshore between Picnic Pde and Ferry Rd will come into play.
While Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the commitment, community activists Shery Stewart and Lisa Bellamy say work needs to be undertaken before the coming Summer season, with the beach an “eyesore” in its current state.
Chamber of Commerce President Matthew Wales said the Chamber worked closely with Member for Robertson, Dr Gordon Reid, leading up to the last Federal Election and was delighted when his office confirmed the funding commitment towards saving the waterfront from further erosion.
“The current state of the beach between Picnic Pde and Ferry Rd is a disgrace and should never have been allowed to continually erode to the point where the foreshore reserve is now under severe threat,” Wales said.
“The Federal funding will be made available to Central Coast Council through Infrastructure Australia subject to application being made through the funding portal in October.
“Whilst we acknowledge that the funding process and preparation of the renourishment plans will take time, it is important that Central Coast Council is encouraged to act quickly in securing the funds and preparing the necessary plans and reports for the work to commence as soon as possible.
“We know that the Council has been looking at this project as part of the ongoing dredging of the Ettalong Beach channel and the Chamber was disappointed that the NSW State Government did not start the renourishment works during the last dredging cycle.
“This is also an opportunity for the NSW State Government to add State funding to the $1.8M from monies that were going to be expended on the next round of dredging.
“It is imperative that the scope of works is established early and that every advantage is taken to restore the beach and augment the Ettalong Beach reserve.
“Ettalong Beach is arguably one of the best estuarine waterfronts in New South Wales and it is extremely disappointing that action to restore the beach has not been taken sooner.
“The Chamber will be working very closely with Dr. Gordon Reid’s office to ensure that our local community obtains the best possible outcome from the federal funding.
“It is a credit to the Federal Member that he taken such a pro-active role in this project.”
But Stewart and Bellamy say the wheels are turning too slowly.
“The beach is the same eyesore it was in 2012,” Stewart said.
Bellamy said the work cannot wait until Summer.
“The area is in clear need of refurbishment and immediate attention,” she said.
“Issues include the removal of shade trees without replacement, visible erosion, huge old concrete buoys, and unsightly orange plastic barriers wrapped around derelict piers that have been left on the ground for years.
“These conditions are not only unattractive but also off-putting for visitors arriving by ferry.
“The Ettalong foreshore could be a showcase for tourists and a driver for local business, but its current state sends the wrong message.
“Cleaning up the beach area around the ferry terminal would require minimal funding, time, and resources, yet could have a substantial positive impact.”
Terry Collins
I’m interested in why nothing seems to be zoned in Council wise on the entire Ettalong to Sth Uminan stretch via Ocean Beach, that beach zone is decimated, the entire back vegetation is in total distress, the back dunes are under the road, they were the reserve for the beach erosion, but now they’re under the road, the foredunes no longer exist accordingly, it’s a difficult ask I know but the situation is dire along that stretch. It obviously takes coastal geomorphological assessment but it’s needed urgently and has been for 30 years before nothing exists between the sea and the road. Is that what we want? What then? Umina is just as deserving as Ettalong. It’s all the same sand. It’s all the same sand.