As the public release of a coastal hazard assessment looms closer Peel residents are calling on the City and state government to take more action against coastal erosion.
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Annual sand bypassing is a process to restore the natural sand movement along the coast, while also maintaining safe and navigable waters at the Mandurah Ocean Entrance year round.
Department of Transport (DoT) Director Coastal Facilities Donna West said the annual sand bypassing had recently been completed with the largest amount of material moved being recorded.
"Approximately 220,000 cubic metres of sand had been excavated from Halls Head Beach and pumped eastward on to nearby Town Beach during the five-month project which is essential to maintain the entrance channel," she said.
Marine scientist and charter boat operator Jacob Cumberworth is just one of many residents concerned that the sand bypassing at Town Beach wasn't achieving erosion mitigation along the coast.
"All the sand they pump here on Town Beach is washing away and heading straight to Safety Bay," he said.
"All of the groins are full along the coast so any extra sand will be washed away.
"By this winter this sand will be gone and we will have erosion again - we are just on this perpetual cycle."
However, a Department of Transport (DoT) spokesperson said Mandurah's annual sand bypassing was successful for 2021.
"The increase in width of Town Beach demonstrates the success of DoT's annual sand bypassing at Mandurah Ocean Entrance and the project meeting its objective to artificially restore the natural sand movement along the coast," they said.
"Natural coastal processes will redistribute the bypassed material over time and create a smoother beach profile."
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In November, residents attended a workshop to provide feedback on potential solutions for coastal erosion along Mandurah's northern beaches.
One of the main attitudes at the meeting was a desire for groins.
"There is a likelihood that at some point there will be a large erosion event - no one can predict when this could happen," Mr Cumberworth said.
"The cost of a couple of groins around the San Remo, Watersun area is in the $1 million to $2 million range.
"The cost of not building groins and waiting to the last minute is massive."
Mr Cumberworth said a submerged, fixed pump system would be the best solution but residents were at a point where they wanted a quick solution.
A City of Mandurah spokesperson said the City had long advocated for a permanent sand bypassing system to the state government.
"DoT and the City of Mandurah have previously investigated a fixed pump system but it was not commercially feasible," a DoT spokesperson said.
The Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Plan (CHRMAP), which will assess coastal hazard risks and identify solutions, is hoped to be released to the public at the end of March 2022 once it is ratified by the council.
