City of Newcastle has demanded the state government amend offshore sand dredging legislation to allow it to access millions of tonnes of sand for the replenishment of Stockton Beach.
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The suburb was being reinforced on Friday in preparation for a weekend of wild weather that is likely to threaten key infrastructure.
Heavy rain combined with 20 to 30 knot winds and sea swells up to 5 metres are expected to pound the region's coastline.
The extreme conditions are likely to result in further losses to the already heavily compromised Stockton foreshore.
"I have no doubt that if the forecast eventuates we will lose part of the caravan park. The surf club could also end up in the ocean," local businessman Lucas Gresham said.
City of Newcastle staff were preparing for the worst on Friday morning with an extra 45 tonnes of new sandbagging being placed around existing erosion control works at Barrie Crescent - a project the council has applied for state government funding for.
It has also called on the government to amend legislation on offshore dredging so sand from Stockton Bight can be used to replenish the beach.
It follows advice that an intensive trucking operation, which would cost an estimated $52 million, is the only lawful option under the current legislation for the beach's replenishment.
It would involve 80,000 truck movements over six years.
Nevertheless, a Department of Planning, Industry and Environment representative advised a recent meeting of the Stockton Community Liaison Group to pursue the project.
"Around 500 truck movements deposited 5,500 tonnes on the southern part of Stockton Beach before Christmas. That 10-day operation would be dwarfed by the 1455 workdays needed to ferry in 500,000 cubic metres required to replenish the beach," Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
"While this trucking half-a-million cubic metres of sand may be legal, it would cost around $52.2 million and require 80,000 truck movements along Stockton's streets over six years."
"I seriously doubt whether the Stockton community would support such a disruption and these numbers highlight the need for an urgent review of legislation around offshore dredging for beach nourishment as City of Newcastle staff work to complete our Coastal Management Program by the end of the year."
Mr Gresham also called a review offshore dredging legislation.
"There are so many better options than trucking in sand," he said.
"The sand is going to get washed back into the ocean anyway. It's just common sense to renourish the beach with sand from Stockton Bight," he said.
Offshore dredging has been used successfully in Australia at the Gold Coast and internationally in the Netherlands, over the past decade.
A Department of Planning, Industry and Environment spokeswoman said City of Newcastle needed to examine all available options for the long-term management of Stockton Beach.
"This includes onshore sand sources for beach nourishment," she said.
"The NSW Government has previously indicated it would examine the legislative framework for offshore sand extraction for beach nourishment purposes."
A representative from the Division of Resources and Geoscience met with City of Newcastle staff in December 2019.
"They had a productive discussion on a number of options, including both onshore and offshore sand sources," the spokeswoman said.
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