Adelaide beach management review

Review latest

The Adelaide Beach Management Review’s Independent Advisory Panel has completed its assessment of sand management options for the metropolitan coastline.

The panel has provided a summary of recommendations to the Attorney-General.

The state government will carefully consider the recommendations before making further decisions.

Review timeline

• January-March 2023 – Data and literature review
• April-June 2023 – Stage 1 community engagement
• July-August 2023 – Shortlisting options
• September-October 2023 – Stage 2 community engagement of shortlisted options
• November 2023 – Review completed
• December 2023 – Summary of recommendations provided to Attorney-General

Background

In April 2022, the South Australian Government announced a comprehensive review of all available coastal sand management options to find a long-term solution that put community and the environment at the core.

The 12-month review started in early 2023 after the establishment of an Independent Advisory Panel, and appointment of community engagement specialists URPS and coastal engineering specialists Bluecoast Consulting Engineers.

URPS undertook a bespoke community engagement process to ensure extensive consultation and engagement was undertaken with a broad range of stakeholders and community members.

Through this process, URPS documented respondents’ views on sand management options and the effect of current sand management approaches.

NSW-based firm Bluecoast Consulting Engineers was appointed after a tender process targeting local, interstate and overseas experts in coastal management.

A review of the tender submissions was undertaken by the Independent Advisory Panel, and, after careful consideration, the panel recommended that Bluecoast be appointed. The Attorney-General subsequently agreed with the recommendation and Bluecoast was engaged to undertake the scientific review.

The scientific review by Bluecoast included consideration of:

1. How to manage sand on Adelaide’s beaches to:
   1. Minimise disruption for all communities
   2. Avoid environmental harm
   3. Maximise sand staying on beaches.
2. The Adelaide community’s views on sand management options and on the impact of the current sand management approaches including trucking and pipelines.
3. Lessons from international examples of sand management on metropolitan beaches.
4. What can be learned from the most up-to-date analysis of climate science about future management of Adelaide’s beaches.

The Independent Advisory Panel

The Independent Advisory Panel was formed in November 2022 to oversee the Adelaide Beach Management Review.

The six Advisory Panel members appointed by the Attorney-General are:

- Mark Searle, former chief executive officer for the City of Marion
- Kaurna representatives Les Wanganeen and Sarah Smith
- Professor Beverley Clarke, social science expert from Flinders University
- Professor Emeritus Nicholas Harvey, coastal science expert from the University of Adelaide
- Professor Emeritus Michael Young, environmental science expert from the University of Adelaide.

Additional information on the Panel is available via:

- New Independent Advisory Panel

- Independent Advisory Panel Terms of Reference

Fact Sheets

Additional detail relevant to the review is provided in the fact sheets below:

- Adelaide beach management review FAQs

- Independent Advisory Panel FAQs

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Externally sourced sand will continue to be brought into West Beach while the review is completed.

For further information on beach management, please see Managing Adelaide's Beaches and Adelaide Beach Works