VIDEO: Managing coastal erosion at Jimmys Beach

In conjunction with a major dredging operation currently underway in the Eastern Channel of the Lower Myall River to remove 120,000 cubic meters of sand, MidCoast Council is in the process of placing 20,000 cubic meters onto Jimmys Beach to renourish and provide a buffer for upcoming storm events.

June and July’s storms and large swells eroded the previous buffer that had been in place since August 2019.

As part of the dredging project, 20,000 cubic meters will go to Jimmy’s Beach now with the remaining 100,000 cubic meters being placed on the stockpile at Winda Woppa for future renourishment of the beach when needed.

“We are currently trialing an innovative project which is expected to deliver significant improvements to the ecology of the Lower Myall River, via Eastern Channel dredging, ecological restoration of the Ramsar-listed Corrie Island, and a long term, gradual supply of sand to replenish Jimmys Beach,” Council said.

The project is funded by $4.1 million in Australian and NSW Government funding matched with Council contributions.

A sand transfer system involving a hopper, pumping system and pipeline has been built to transfer sand from Winda Woppa stockpile to replenish Jimmys Beach.

This option will provide a long term and more gradual supply of sand to Jimmys Beach, reducing the need to rely on trucking in sand in response to emergency storm events.

Rock walls, groynes and other structures have all been examined, but establishing an ongoing sand nourishment program is the most financially sustainable option for maintaining Jimmys Beach and to provide a buffer to protect The Boulevarde behind it.

Once operational, it’s expected to reduce the total cost of protecting and maintaining the Beach from the current $600,000 per year to $200,000. This is the first time such a scheme will be utilized for managing an erosion hotspot in NSW.