The state government works with local councils to manage Adelaide’s metropolitan beach system and keep sand on our beaches.
Adelaide essentially has one long beach running 28 kilometres from Kingston Park to Outer Harbor. The coastline has been managed in discrete sections or ‘cells’ since 2005 to address the impact built structures have on sand movement. View our video to see how we manage sand movement on Adelaide’s metropolitan beaches.
Three observations have been made since 2005:
- The northward movement of sand along the middle part of our coast at West Beach is greater than previously estimated.
- There has been a net decline in the volume of sand along the total Adelaide beach system since 2011.
- Some cells are affected more than others.
The state government will be putting more sand where it’s needed on Adelaide’s beach system with an additional $48.4 million investment in our beaches and coast. This will include additional sand and a sand recycling pipeline that will recycle sand from Semaphore to West Beach.
These works will protect and replenish West Beach and Henley Beach South with flow on benefits for our whole metropolitan coast. The recycled sand through the sand recycling pipeline will also reduce the number of trucks on our roads and beaches. Sand dune restoration and revegetation will also be undertaken in partnership with local councils and coastal community groups. Learn more.
Beach management explained for kids
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