Grants Available for Coastal Protection Projects

The Department of Environment and Water announced yesterday that Councils across South Australia can now apply for coast protection grants from a $350,000 funding pool.

Coast Protection Board Presiding Member Allan Holmes said that the grants could fund up to 80 per cent of projects to help address coastal erosion and flooding hazards.

“These grants are available for projects like flood protection and erosion management strategies, coastal risk and adaptation studies and construction works such as new seawalls, levees and beach replenishment,” Mr Holmes said.

“The grants are designed to help mitigate the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels and severe weather events, which coastal communities are dealing with now and will be exacerbated in coming years.”

The Coast Protection Board was established by the Coast Protection Act 1972. It works in partnership with local government on coast protection issues and provides advice on coastal management and development in South Australia.

Projects funded through last year’s grants include:

• $60,000 to the City of Port Augusta for construction of a section of levee bank to deliver Port Augusta’s sea flood protection strategy;
• $50,000 to the City of Onkaparinga for a cliff stabilization study at Aldinga Beach;
• $30,000 to the City of Victor Harbor for erosion control works at Encounter Bay;
• $20,000 to the City of Whyalla for beach replenishment to maintain storm erosion buffers and beach amenity;
• $15,000 to the Wattle Range District Council for a coastal erosion study at Post Office Rock, Beachport;
• $11,450 to the Yorke Peninsula Council for detailed design of flood protection works at Port Clinton.

The deadline for applying for the grants is Monday, 13 August.