Coastal erosion and stability

The Department of Transport helps local and state coastal managers protect our environment by providing specialist advice on coastal infrastructure.

We also provide advice on:

• Hazard risk management.
• Coastal adaptation.
• Climate change factors.
• Coastal infrastructure development.

The Department of Transport's Coastal Adaptation and Protection (CAP) grants program and H-CAP Major Project Fund help to fund coastal management projects undertaken by coastal land managers. CAP and H-CAP comprise the DoT-managed grant schemes that contribute towards the State’s wider CoastWA program.

Visit the Coastal Adaptation and Protection (CAP) grants and H-CAP Major Project Fund page for more information.

The Department of Transport has conducted a study of sea level changes for coastal planning purposes, which can be downloaded below.

A decision support tool for estimating sea level rise is also available from the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystem Cooperative Research Centre.

The Department of Transport has conducted a number of coastal research projects in Western Australia.

The Department of Transport conducted an assessment of excess wrack accumulation at Two Rocks southern beaches during summer.

The Two Rocks fixed monitoring camera was used to identify rare occasions where accumulated seagrass and seaweed wrack cleared from the beach naturally during the problematic summer season. The study goal was to identify specific combinations of tides, winds, currents, and waves in summer that coincided with wrack clearing in the photo record.

City of Wanneroo were closely consulted in this investigation. Windows of promising tidal conditions for wrack clearing were identified, assisting the City's planned wrack management trials in summer 2020/21. After sourcing all required permits, the City later planned to begin wrack management trials in 2021/22 instead.

In a national first, a state-wide assessment of the extent and scale of coastal erosion has been undertaken in Western Australia.

The Assessment of Coastal Erosion Hotspots in WA identifies 55 locations — 15 metropolitan and 40 regional — where coastal erosion is expected to have a significant impact on public and private property or infrastructure in the next 25 years.

The assessment was commissioned by the State Government and undertaken by Seashore Engineering Pty Ltd.

The information sheet provided below outlines the findings and recommended actions. Detailed profiles for each hotspot are available in the assessment at Appendix D.

What is a coastal erosion hotspot?

A hotspot is a location where coastal erosion is expected to have a significant impact on public and private property or infrastructure, including houses, roads and recreational facilities, in the next 25 years.

How many hotspots were identified?

The assessment identified 55 coastal erosion hotspots (15 in the Perth metropolitan area and 40 regional) spanning 29 local government areas.

An additional 31 locations (8 metropolitan, 23 regional) have been placed on a watch-list for future monitoring and investigation.

Are any of the hotspots in my local government area?

A map of all hotspots is available on page three of the Coastal erosion hotspots in Western Australia Information Sheet or on page vii of the full report, available for download below. Detailed profiles for each hotspot are available in the assessment at Appendix D, from page 77.

Why was the assessment undertaken?

The assessment was commissioned to help evaluate the scale and extent of coastal erosion in Western Australia and demonstrate how the risk to the natural and man-made environment at each location is expected to increase over time.

By better understanding risk, local coastal managers can make informed decisions that support sustainable land use and development.

What are the next steps?

While there is no one size fits all approach to managing coastal erosion the outcomes of this study will help to refine coastal management strategies.

The Government, through the departments of Transport, and Planning, Lands and Heritage, will continue to support local governments and coastal managers adapting to the challenges of coastal erosion.

For more information or if you have any questions, contact us on the details below.

The Department of Transport expanded the state-wide dataset of historical coastline movements between 2016 and 2018, with additional updates added again up to 2020. The data will assist coastal managers, planners and developers throughout the State. The Department also created an animated user guide and technical report as part of the project.

In 2012, Damara WA Pty Ltd and the Geological Survey of WA were commissioned to study the geology, geomorphology and vulnerability of various coastal shires in Western Australia.

The aim of the studies was to identify sediment cells that could affect land use decisions for the development of the area.

Shires of Coorow and Northampton

Please download the study below:

Dredging

The Department of Transport conducts dredging works to maintains the navigable channels at key marine facilities.

For more information download the dredging fact sheet below.

Annual sand bypassing

The Department of Transport pumps sand around the Mandurah and Dawesville channels each year to ensure safe navigation while allowing the natural flow to continue along the coast.

For more information refer to the document below.

The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage website has a list of coastal vulnerability studies being undertaken in Western Australia. A report has also been uploaded onto the CoastWA website that documents the CoastWA Achievements for 2021-22.

A guide has been made available on How to photo monitor beaches, helping coastal managers better understand changes occurring at their beaches.