The Shires of Murray and Waroona are set to receive a funding boost from the state government to help with coastal erosion and hazard management.
The state government has allocated almost $7 million to four high priority coastal erosion hotspots and an additional 42 coastal management projects across WA.
An additional $1.76 million has been allocated through the annual grant programs administered by the Department of Transport and the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage to 42 projects across WA to assist local governments and communities to plan, protect, manage and enhance Western Australia's coastal areas.
This includes:
- $50,000 to the Shire of Murray to help with their coastal hazard risk management and adaptation planning
- $10,000 to the Shire of Waroona to help with the Preston Beach Foreshore restoration
- $10,000 to the South West and Peel Coastal Management Group
- $7,451 to the Shire of Harvey for the Binningup Main Beach, helping to build a community capacity and protecting the coastal values
- $125,000 to the Shires of Harvey, Capel and Dardanup and the City of Bunbury to help with the Capel - Leschenault coastal hazard risk management and adaptation planning
The funding will help protect the local coastline while providing a welcome employment boost for those actively working in environment and coastal planning and management.
"Murray's river and estuary environments, home to water birds and flora and fauna, contribute considerably to our shire's character, amenity and way of life," Murray Shire president David Bolt said.
"Coastal hazards including erosion and inundation are impacting these systems and with their increasing extent and frequency, will pose even greater risks into the future," Cr Bolt said.
"In order to protect our environment and mitigate these risks, we need to develop a deeper understanding of these hazards and establish a framework and plan to effectively guide our management of our coastal areas.
"The funding ensures that we can implement a collaborative, objective and comprehensive process, led by experts in the field, to develop an actionable Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Plan."
The state government is continuing to push for a coordinated national approach to managing coastal erosion, with the Premier raising the issue at COAG last year.
