Letters
Brooms Head foreshore pounded
Ed,
For sure Brooms Head foreshore will continue to be pounded by exceptional high tides and the sort of large swells generated by cyclones.
Geoff Helisma’s article in “The Independent” (7/2/18) states council’s plan is for the construction of a rock wall, to begin in 2016…”The extension of the foreshore reserve revetment…..with estimated cost in excess of $100,000.”
However, until we get serious, this so-called “solution” will only be a short-term, temporary solution to adequately address coastal erosion at Brooms Head.
‘Managing our coastal zone in a changing climate’ published in October 2009 by the Federal Government makes interesting reading for people who are concerned about the sort of world our children and grandchildren will inherit from us.
According to the Department of Climate Change fact sheet for NSW in 2009 “Coastal flooding, erosion and other hazards currently cost NSW around $200 million a year”.
More than 200,000 buildings along the State’s coast are vulnerable. For example a sea level rise of just 20 centimetres together with a 1-50 year storm surge could push the coastline at Narrabeen back by 110 metres and cause local damage of around $230 million.
With a mere 20 centimetre sea level rise, many beach side homes with glorious ocean views would become genuine “bottom of the harbour” schemes.
For our grandchildren the point is this. Yet another rock wall is a temporary fix but how much more damage will we allow climate change to cause before we adopt the “front end” approach and address the causes of climate change?
All the best in the future you choose for your grandchildren.
Ref. House of Reps Standing Committee on Climate Change, Water, Environment and the Arts (Oct 2009)
Harry Johnson, Iluka