Douglas Shire Tackles Beach Erosion (Australia)

Douglas Shire Council is replenishing Newell Beach with up to 5000 cubic metres of sand to help mitigate erosion issues.

The beach replenishment is utilising sand dredged from the Daintree River ferry channel to help restore up to 300 metres of Newell Beach shoreline from Rankin St north with a protective sand barrier up to 1.5 metres high.

Mayor Julia Leu said there was no quick-fix solution to solving erosion issues at Newell Beach, which is primarily caused by the lack of vegetation on the sand dunes.

“Over the years, parts of the Newell Beach foreshore were denuded of vegetation by landholders to enhance their ocean views and the forces of nature mean those areas are now highly susceptible to beach erosion,” Mayor Leu said.

“The tide erodes the foreshore as there is very little holding the sand dunes together, particularly where clearing has occurred. Sand nourishment is one measure Council can attempt to temporarily preserve the foreshore but a more permanent solution would be to create a buffer zone along the foreshore with suitable vegetation.”

The beach nourishment at the southern end of Newell Beach may take a few weeks to complete, depending on the tides, and Council will also remove a number of palms and trees which have either fallen onto the beach or are in danger of doing so.

Residents are warned that heavy machinery will be operating during this period to deposit the sand and spread it on the beach with a loader.

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Press Release, July 23, 2014