Climate change, rising water levels and coastal erosion are predicted to seriously affect Australia’s coast line over the next century.  

Local governments are at the forefront of responding to the impacts of climate change, not only for future planning, but also for litigation and liability requirements. 

In order to meet council’s obligations in managing these risks, the draft Kempsey Coastal Zone Management Plan has been prepared in accordance with state, national and international guidelines. 

The council meeting agenda for Tuesday, March 17, states that, “properties at Hat Head and Grassy Head have been identified as being at intolerable risks as a result of erosion of the dune system, which is not expected to occur before 2050. 

"The impact at Grassy Head is restricted to a single dwelling that is at risk of coastal erosion by 2100. 

“It is noted that due to the likely timeframes, no action is presently required, however, in respect to Hat Head, installation of a dune monitoring system is recommended which would be used to determine a future trigger point (almost certainly by 2050), whereby a risk assessment would be undertaken."

The report says actions that could be taken range from:

• Do nothing.

• Design and install a sea wall ($15 million).

• Identify and access a source of sand for beach replenishment ($4 million to $15 million per

10 years).

• Acquire and demolish dwellings and relocate Bay St ($28 million).

"Obviously such actions are beyond council’s capacity to fund, however, the Coastal Zone Management Plan is part of a process, whereby council will be able to demonstrate priority for future funding against competing priorities in other coastal communities at that time," the agenda said.

It was recommended to council at Tuesday’s meeting that the draft plan be placed on public exhibition for a period of 40 days, and that the owners of properties directly affected be advised in writing, including details of a proposed workshop.

Before the recommendation was moved, however, Cr Patterson raised concerns regarding the legitimacy of the predictions of water levels caused by climate change.  

“I think the predictions and climate change forcasts, regarding water levels, are quite extreme,” Cr Patterson said.

“How is this going to affect any developments in river or low-lying developments if we adopt this change?”

Council's Sustainable Development director Robert Pitt responded and said all that needed to be resolved at this stage was to put the plan on public exhibition.

“There is no proposal to restrict any developments, but there maybe implications for developments in the future at Hat Head as a result of the expected climate change,” Mr Pitt said.

“We need to consider council's exception from liability in the event of these expected consequences if coastal erosion does occur.”

At the end of discussions, the council resolved that:

1: The draft Kempsey Coastal Zone Management Plan (2015) be placed on public exhibition for a period of 40 days. 

2: That the owners of properties directly affected by the draft plan be advised in writing, including details of the proposed workshop to be held at Hat Head. 

3: That a workshop be held for councillors during the public exhibition period.

The development of the plan and supporting documentation was prepared in consultation with

Council’s Natural Resources Group with financial assistance from the NSW Office of Environment

and Heritage through the NSW State Government’s Coastal Management Program.