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Adelaide Beach Management Review

The State Government recently undertook a comprehensive independent review of all available coastal management options to find a long-term solution to coastal erosion across Adelaide’s beaches.  

The Adelaide Beach Management Review (ABMR) built upon previous investigations, data and analysis of Adelaide beach management, and explored relevant interstate and overseas examples of coastal management. 

The various sand management options were then shortlisted and released for public consultation.

As part of the review, an operational dredging trial was conducted between October and November 2024.

The trial sought determine the feasibility of dredging as a solution to managing sand within the beach system.

Sand was dredged from an area south of the North Haven Marina and delivered by barge to West Beach. Sand was also dredged from around the West Beach Boat Harbour and delivered closer to the beach.

Evaluation of data, observations and lessons from the trial – along with the full Adelaide Beach Management Review analysis – were submitted to the State Cabinet for consideration in June 2025.

The government announced its final decision in January 2026.

Reports and findings

	Report	Objective
Adelaide Beach Management Review	Adelaide Beach Management Review Independent Advisory Panel - Adelaide Beach Management Scientific Rev	To undertake a desktop review of sand management options for Adelaide’s metropolitan beaches and identify priority next steps.
Investigations supporting the review of the Dredge Trial	ABMRI Dredge Trial – Water Quality Monitoring Report	To monitor and assess water quality during the dredging trial and evaluate compliance with approved environmental trigger limits.
	ABMRI Dredge Trial – Report on Operational and Environmental Feasibility of Dredging	To assess the operational and environmental feasibility of dredging to deliver sand nearshore at West Beach through a targeted trial.
	ABMRI Dredge Trial – Marine Mammal Observations	To independently observe and document marine mammal presence and behaviour during dredging operations at North Haven.
	ABMRI Dredge Trial – Noise Monitoring Report	To measure and assess noise emissions from dredging activities during the trial.
	ABMRI Dredge Trial - Coastal Monitoring Report	To provide a year-long assessment of how effective the sand placement during the trial has performed from a coastal management perspective.
Dredging feasibility	Sand Management Using Dredgers – Sand Sourcing and Other Feasibility Assessments Report - ABMRI	To assess the long-term feasibility of using dredgers for restoring and recycling sand on Adelaide’s northern metropolitan beaches, including identifying suitable sand sources.
Pipeline feasibility	Sand Pumping System Feasibility Assessment Report	To assess the feasibility of the existing and proposed sand pumping system to support long-term sand recycling to West Beach.
Sand carting by truck feasibility	ABMRI -Recycling of Sand By Truck in the                               Northern Management Area Report	To document the program of work that would be required to deliver a long-term recycling program between the northern beaches.
Technical Peer Review	Adelaide Beach Management Review Implementation Project – Technical Peer Review	To independently assess the technical accuracy and robustness od all the technical investigations undertaken to support the Adelaide Beach Management Review recommendations.
High-level Summary	Adelaide Beach Management Review Implementation (ABMRI) - Summary Report	A report summarising the Adelaide Beach Management Review implementation.

Stakeholder engagement

Community sentiment was given appropriate consideration as part of the review.

Consultation throughout the ABMR process reached more than 348,000 people, with dredging the most supported option across public feedback, submissions and panel hearings. 

Clear, concise feedback from two stakeholder groups representing Adelaide’s central and northern metropolitan beach communities was included in the package of information sent to Cabinet.