Coastal management program

The Sunshine Coast has over one hundred kilometres of coastal foreshores. This includes many world-class beaches and iconic rocky headlands. These environments are highly valued by locals and tourists for their cultural, ecological and recreational functions.

Council’s corporate plan identifies well-managed and maintained foreshores as a priority. Council has developed a coastal planning and management framework that delivers policy and planning tools that support protection and sustainable use of our valuable beaches, headlands and estuaries.

Council manages most of the local coastline and places great importance on the health of dunes and beaches. The coastline is constantly changing and council’s coastal planning and management effort has to adapt to the influence of coastal hazards such as erosion.

View the following documents:

• coastal management overview (PDF, 1210KB) January 2016 edition
• coastal management policy (public lands)
• shoreline erosion management plan
• sand sourcing study (PDF, 1799KB)
• Maroochydore beach management strategy (pilot study) (PDF, 2929KB)
• regional Groyne field report and condition (PDF, 220KB)
• Bribie Island breakthrough plan.

Coastal values, processes and management

The following fact sheets outline the complex natural processes that shape the region's coastline. They also explain why council undertakes shoreline erosion management and some of the methods used:

• sand movement on the Sunshine Coast (PDF, 837KB)
• managing beach erosion (PDF, 552KB)
• intermittently closed and open lakes and lagoons (ICOLLs) (PDF, 1280KB).

Coastal policy and shoreline erosion management plan

Sometimes coastal erosion has the potential to threaten parks, roads and pathways, for example. The challenge for council is to allow natural processes to occur, where possible, while protecting:

• safe access
• visual appeal
• recreation opportunities
• community infrastructure.

Council’s recently adopted coastal management policy (public lands) and shoreline erosion management plan identify how council intends to sustainably manage coastal values and erosion issues.

Coastal hazard maps

The Department of Environment and Science has developed coastal hazard maps that show the predicted impact of coastal hazards.

Coastal hazard adaptation strategy - our resilient coast. Our future

Council has developed a long-term strategy to help manage the impacts of coastal hazards. Learn more about the coastal hazard adaptation strategy.

Development in coastal areas

Construction and other activities in coastal areas may need development approval. For more information, refer to council's development applications and tidal works webpages.

Seawalls

Seawalls are an important tool to protect our public areas against the impacts of storms, high tides and rising sea levels. Sand renourishment, dune revegetation and protection, and limiting permanent beach access points are all part of the current approach and expected to continue for many years to come. Council has development approvals for two seawalls at Dicky Beach and Alexandra Headland/Maroochydore beach. However, even though these approvals are in place, there are no timeframes for construction.

Learn more about:

• Alexandra Headland to Maroochydore Beach buried seawall (PDF, 982KB)
• Dicky Beach seawall (PDF, 1093KB).