COASTAL erosion experts will visit Stockton beach on Wednesday to assess the need for further sandbags to prevent the former childcare centre and a road from slipping into the ocean.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
City of Newcastle began emergency sandbagging along Barrie Crescent on Saturday to prevent further erosion during large swells.
A spokesman said on Tuesday that the work, using a crane, had been hampered by strong winds.
Sandbags have been installed at the beachfront near Stone St, connecting to the northern end of the Mitchell St seawall.
They have also been installed at the beachfront at the end of Griffiths Avenue.
"They have performed as designed during Monday evening's large swell and high tide," he said.
"City of Newcastle's coastal engineering consultant will visit the site on Wednesday morning to assess beach erosion in the area and determine requirements for further placement of sandbags."
The work has temporarily closed the end of Stone Street and Barrie Crescent.
A crane is needed to unload the sandbags weighing upwards of a tonne.
City of Newcastle and residents have called on the state government to intervene to help find a long-term solution for the worsening erosion problem.
"While sandbagging may be enough to protect the coastline from these immediate swell impacts, it is not a long-term solution to protecting Stockton's coastline," City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath said.
Devastating erosion forced the permanent closure of Stockton's only childcare centre last week after engineers deemed the building unsafe.
In the latest battering, heavy rain and big swells over the past two weeks claimed a further six metres of land in front of the Barrie Crescent facility.
More than 9000 cubic metres, or 1300 truckloads, of sand has been lost in front of the Mission Australia Early Learning Centre in eight weeks, sparking the sandbag works.
City of Newcastle plans to demolish the building that was the former North Stockton Surf Life Saving Club.
The cost of some long-term solutions to tackle the erosion problem have been estimated at more than $30 million.
Acknowledging that the City of Newcastle is unable to fund the works, residents have called on the state government to intervene.
With no long-term solution to halt the erosion, the coastline is being stripped annually of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sand.
An erosion exclusion zone is now just metres from several roads and a string of beachfront properties that are being protected by the temporary sandbag wall being installed.
RELATED READING:
- Community meeting told Stockton beach losing a metre a year
- Mission Australia's storm damaged Stockton early learning centre
- Childcare centre's future under cloud in erosion saga
- Childcare centre forced to close temporarily due to beach erosion threat
- Council back to drawing board over long-term solution for Stockton erosion
- Playground of Stockton's Mission Australia early learning centre set to be relocated as a result of erosion threat
- Fears childcare centre could crumble into the sea
- Stockton solution moves forward with meeting
- Garbage tip washing into the sea at Stockton
- State government handballs responsibility for Stockton beach
- 2017: Exposed mine shaft shows Stockton beach's erosion problem needs 'urgent' solution
While you're with us, did you know Newcastle Herald offers breaking news alerts, daily email newsletters and more? Keep up to date with all the local news - sign up here.
IN NEWS TODAY: