Work will soon start on the construction of a buried protection structure at the southern end of the existing Mitchell Street seawall in Stockton.
The defensive safeguard is the first of three planned that’ll shield vulnerable sections of the suburb’s coastline in the event of large swells, significantly reducing the chances of erosion and loss of public and private land.
The buried protection structures, which will consist of underground vertical concrete piles that extend from street level to 8.5m below ground, complement the longer-term strategy of mass sand nourishment.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said she was looking forward to seeing the promised next stage of onshore works at Stockton underway.
“They are an important part of City of Newcastle’s (CN) $27.5 million investment at Stockton since the adoption of our Coastal Management Plan in 2020, with $9.5 million invested so far,” she explained.
Once constructed, only the top of the round beams will be visible at ground level.
“The design of the structure considers its ability to address erosion from storm events, as well as long-term beach recession,” council’s executive director city infrastructure Joanne Rigby said.
“It also considers the requirement to protect public assets at high-risk.
“We are also making progress on repairs to damage from past erosion events at the King Street breakwater and expect construction to be completed next month.”
CN has continued regular liaison with the Worimi Registered Aboriginal Parties to ensure current and future works respect the significance of the Stockton coastline to the Worimi people and protects their heritage.
Council’s also undertaken substantial work to understand the cause of erosion and beach recession, and gain community support for an evidence-based solution in close collaboration with Stockton residents.
The draft Extended Stockton Coastal Management Program (CMP) is in development and steps out an expanded list of management actions that support the long-term strategy of mass sand nourishment outlined in the 2020 Stockton CMP, and broadens the geographical area covered to include the northern end of Stockton Beach from Meredith Street to the Port Stephens Local Government Area boundary.
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