Strong community response to Council Coastal Futures survey

Protecting and restoring natural ecosystems to stabilise the foreshore was a frequent response to a Fraser Coast Regional Council survey on Coastal Futures Adaptation Strategies.

“Council received 587 responses from across the region to the Coastal Futures: Planning Our Changing Coastline survey,” Cr Zane O’Keefe said.

“The survey is part of work to create a strategy on how Council responds to coastal hazards such as tidal surge and coastal erosion.

“The results indicate a preference for ‘soft solutions’ to enhance our coastline through restoring natural ecosystems and revegetating programs.

“A high proportion of respondents were interested in being involved in programs to monitor coastal changes which means people are engaged and willing to be a part of putting solutions into action.

“There is also a thirst for information. A key response to questions on ways to build community resilience was a call for more information on the management of coastal hazards and foreshore vegetation.”

The survey focussed on:

• Burrum Heads;
• Toogoom;
• Dundowran and Craignish;
• Hervey Bay;
• Mary River;
• River Heads and Booral, and;
• Great Sandy Straight townships.

The feedback is now available on Council’s Engagement Hub website at https://frasercoast.engagementhub.com.au/coastal-futures-planning-our-changing-coastline and will be used to develop the strategy and action plan.

“Each location is different so individual strategies and actions will need to be developed for each area,” Cr O’Keefe said. “They will also have to take into account the financial sustainability of the proposal and specific focus areas.”

The strategy will provide direction on a range of adaptation solutions from education and building resilience to prioritising where and when to invest in coastline protection.

The draft strategy will be available for public consultation in early 2021.