A new seawall is set to be constructed along a besieged stretch of foreshore on the southern end of Golden Beach.
There are plans to build a roughly 1km barrier at Diamond Head, between Lamerough Canal and Diamond Head Park.
It would be about 750m south of a previously-announced 208m seawall between Nelson Street and the TS Onslow Naval Cadets site.
It’s the latest in a string of planned seawalls in the greater region, including at Moffat Beach, Kings Beach, Mooloolaba and at Noosa Main Beach.
Sunshine Coast councillor Terry Landsberg said action was required “to protect our coastline and coastal communities”.
He said the new seawall would essentially replace an old rock wall that has been “damaged by storm surges, high tides and erosion caused by the initial Bribie Island breakthrough, the subsequent breakthrough during TC Alfred and ongoing weather events”.
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Council is preparing to go out to tender for a specialist coastal engineering firm to design the new seawall.
The design will account for the fragmentation of Bribie Island and will be designed to a 2075 horizon with 0.5m of predicted sea level rise.
Alternative design scenarios will also be considered, such as full fragmentation of the northern part of Bribie Island, as well as any possible recommendations from the state government-led Bribie Island breakthrough review.
It’s unclear at this stage how much the seawall could cost and how it could be funded.
But there are plans for it to be constructed in sections and to adapt open space elements including benches, shelters, fish cleaning tables and the coastal pathway, which are currently at risk from inundation and erosion.
The project would include new beach access stairs, a large mixed-use ramp, foreshore renourishment and multiple stormwater upgrades, including the installation of backflow devices “to prevent nuisance flooding”.
A nature-based groyne is proposed to be built on the old boat ramp adjacent to Military Jetty, with other nature-based elements incorporated where possible.
Cr Landsberg said locals would be consulted.
“We look forward to seeking feedback on the open space elements through our Have your Say website towards the end of 2025, to ensure the values and community use of the foreshore is retained,” he said.
“There will be some components of the project that cannot be influenced by the community, such as the seawall and stormwater design, due to the constraints in the area associated with the Bribie Island breakthrough.”
Design and permits are expected to be completed later this year and work is expected to start in March.
Cr Law said the council was focused on doing what it could in the meantime.
“Council is looking at temporary measures to minimise impacts to the foreshore at Diamond Head until the seawall works start,” he said.
That includes nourishment from dredging within the Pumicestone Passage.
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A council spokesperson said the planned seawall was one of several measures being undertaken to protect Golden Beach communities “from the impacts of climate change”.
The council is also partnering with the federal and state governments to build a concreted-stepped 208m seawall from Nelson Street to the TS Onslow Naval Cadets site.
“We’ll also reconstruct the damaged boat ramp at the Navy Cadets site, enhance the surrounding parklands, improve beach accessibility and the coastal pathway along the esplanade,” the spokesperson said.
Funding for it has been committed by state and federal governments.
Meanwhile, the council started a dredging and nourishment campaign in the passage in late April. The campaign was scheduled to run until mid-June, to bolster beaches near the Caloundra Power Boat Club and along Golden Beach and Diamond Head.
A long-time resident of the area, Gail Podbersek, said she was worried about erosion in the area.
She told Sunshine Coast News the foreshore had “changed markedly”, waves had breached the coastline and sand had been deposited on the parklands.
“I know there are residents who are concerned and scared,” she said.
She was unsure if a seawall was the best solution but believed action was needed as soon as possible.
“I’m no expert,” she said.
“I will leave it to other professionals to make recommendations.
“It’s clear we can’t wait for a seawall.
“Locals seem to, reasonably, just want protection for their homes and they want the best possible outcome from government.”
Ms Podbersek said she supported a Pumicestone Passage Catchment Management Body plan to rebuild northern Bribie Island to create a buffer for the coastline.
“I also support immediate action for perhaps geotech bags at Military Jetty and Diamond Head to protect our foreshore in the immediate short term,” she said.
She said she looked forward to finding out what actions could be taken by levels of government upon completion of the breakthrough review.
The aerial imagery in this story is from Australian location intelligence company Nearmap. The company provides government organisations, architectural, construction and engineering firms, and other companies, with easy, instant access to high-resolution aerial imagery, city-scale 3D content, artificial intelligence data sets, and geospatial tools to assist with urban planning, monitoring and development projects in Australia, New Zealand and North America.
