The City of Busselton's coastline, especially the low, sandy and extensively developed Geographe Bay coastline, has always been subject to coastal erosion and shoreline movement, with different portions of the coast eroding or accreting at different times. This process has historically been influenced by a number of factors, principally weather and ocean current patterns, and their interaction with changes in the shape and location of beaches, sand bars, coastal structures and the rest of the marine environment. As these things change, sections of the coast have switched from experiencing periods of net erosion to periods of net accretion and vice versa. The way this issue is perceived has also changed in recent years as knowledge has increased on the potential impacts of climate change induced sea level rise, related changes to weather and ocean current patterns, and their potential impacts on coastal erosion and shoreline movement.

This is an issue of concern to the community and the Shire, and there have been a number of coastal erosion and inundation studies undertaken for the City of Busselton's coast. Most recently, in early 2008, the Shire commissioned modelling consistent with direction provided at the time by the then Department of Planning and Infrastructure, and which assumed a 0.5 metre increase in mean sea level over a 100 year period.

Two different adaptation scenarios were modelled: an ‘undefended scenario', where existing coastal defence structures are not maintained and are lost over time; and an ‘unmanaged scenario', where existing structures are maintained, but no new structures are developed. Mapping illustrating each scenario for the City of Busselton's coastline from Dunsborough to Forrest Beach can be downloaded by clicking on the link below. The more westerly portions of the City of Busselton's coastline are much less vulnerable, and so were not included in the modelling exercise.

The Council recently resolved that the modelling should be released to the public and should be utilised by the Shire, where possible, in the exercise of its town planning and building control powers. This will mean that the Shire will now consider potential coastal erosion risk issues associated with any proposal for development between the existing coastline and the 'unmanaged scenario' line on the maps.

The Shire continues to progress with the development of more comprehensive coastal adaptation planning, and the approach to the issue may change over time. Dates for a public information session on this issue will also be released shortly. Further general information on this issue can be found in the House of Representatives Standing Committee report titled "Managing our coastal zone in a changing climate". Enquiries on the local mapping can be directed to Mersina Robinson or Paul Needham at the Shire.

City of Busselton - PUBLIC TERMS OF USE

Interim Coastal Erosion Modelling Maps

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This information is not professional advice. The information contained is based on recommendations by the State Government at the time of commissioning the report in 2008 which assumed a 0.5 metre sea level rise over a 100 year period. Since the preparation of the report more up to date information on potential sea level rise has become available and further reports are being prepared by the City of Busselton to reflect these predictions. The information is necessarily of an uncertain nature. Many factors influence the potential for sea level rise and the information provided is solely of a general indicatory nature.

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