Geoff Helisma

In 2018, there was a similar erosion event to that which recently occurred at the northern end of Brooms Head Holiday Park – the Independent reported that the final draft of the 2015 Brooms Head Beach and Lake Cakora Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) recommended the extension of the existing revetment wall to the “southern bridge abutment” as a “high priority”, the CZMP was approved by the Minister in August 2017.

At the time, Clarence Valley Council’s (CVC) environmental planning coordinator, Scott Lenton, said, “CVC will only act when there is a direct threat to people”, which is a principle cited in the CZMP.

The CZMP’s cost benefit analysis warns, regarding completion of the revetment wall, “This revetment extension will also ‘safeguard’ a significant community asset at the northern end of the Foreshore Reserve Precinct.

“This is a valuable parcel of community recreational land, which also contains facilities for the caravan park that may be lost before the end of their serviceable life if left unprotected.”

The CZMP states that the wall would cost $100,000 and estimates that undertaking a detailed design and environmental impact assessment would cost $250,000.

At the February CVC meeting, councillors adopted a priority list of of 13 “significant projects”, one of which is the non-prioritised revetment wall extension, with an estimated $4 million price tag.

CVC’s priority booklet states, “Construction of a wall north of the existing wall to Ocean Road bridge will protect the Brooms Head Caravan Park and Ocean Road Bridge and provide longer-term protection to several houses close to the beach.

“…An extension to the revetment wall was identified in the 2017 CZMP… and a detailed design, environmental assessment and cost assessment has been completed.

“The works will maintain and improve safe public access to beaches and headlands consistent with the goals of the NSW Coastal Policy.

“The new revetment will be capable of withstanding 1 in 100-year-event.”

Cost-wise, the CZMP states that “Office of Environmental Heritage coastal management grants may be feasible; 50% NSW Government. CVC’s share may utilise Clarence Coast Reserve Trust funds”.

The Independent sent a list of questions to the mayor and CVC’s communications team.

• Why has it taken a decade to move towards action, including [taking actions in the] CZMP, given that CVC knew that another erosion event was likely to happen between 2018 and 2023?
• Why was it earmarked by staff as [a low priority] infrastructure project in their recent recommendation to council?
• How did the construction estimate blowout from the $100k [plus design work] nominated in the 2015 plan to the current $4m estimate?
• Is the Brooms Head Beach and Lake Cakora Coastal Zone Management still active/relevant?
• Given that CVC manages the land on behalf of the NSW Government, wouldn’t there have been an avenue to fast track this to prevent further erosion events?
• Or is it regarded as ‘low priority’ because the CZMP’s “main intent is to protect human life,” as Mr Lenton said in 2018, “It’s not about protecting assets, so [the CZMP] doesn’t actually propose we do anything other than ensure people are safe”?

No answers were received – nor did the mayor receive a response from the acting general manager to the specific questions – prior to the noon editorial deadline.

However, Cr Tiley shared the following information, which the AGM gave to him before the Independent had asked the above questions.

“The means by which we (CVC) can protect Brooms Head from coastal erosion is detailed in our Coastal Zone Management Plan,” she wrote to the mayor in an email.

“Coastal planning and management is governed by state legislation.

“In 2016, coastal planning/management legislation was amended and as a result the government now require coastal councils to revisit, review and rewrite CZMPs and document coastal management plans. See here Coastal management –

“The preferred method of protection for Brooms Head is extension of the rock revetment, provided it has no adverse impact on property to the north of the bridge.

“However, council is required to have a Ministerial endorsed coastal management plan (CMP) prior to funding being made available to complete this work.

“We have commenced this process, with consultants currently undertaking [a] stage 2 hazard assessment before moving on with subsequent stages in preparation of a CMP towards completion in 2023, by the deadline – details of which can be found on the [coastal management] link above.

“The coastal management plan is the planning document that governs management of the coastal zone and action will not be approved unless the plan is gazetted by the state.  

“In the meantime, we are managing the current situation in accordance with our CV Emergency Management Plan, which is also a state gazetted document.”