Council's Plan to Halt Redhead Beach Sand Dune Criticised as 'Reactive'
Lake Macquarie City Council has announced a new strategy to address the creeping sand dune at Redhead Beach, but the proposal has already drawn criticism from a local surf lifesaving club member who labelled it as "reactive maintenance".
Redhead Beach, widely regarded as one of the Hunter region's finest and Lake Macquarie's most popular coastal spot, has been increasingly suffocated by tonnes of sand driven from the south by onshore winds in recent years. The encroaching dune has regularly buried sections of the beach car park and the outdoor shower station, creating ongoing challenges for visitors and facilities.
Details of the Dune Management Plan
The council's Redhead Dune Management Plan, developed in partnership with the University of NSW Water Research Laboratory, outlines several key interventions:
- Reshaping the sand dune using earthmoving equipment to improve its resilience to coastal conditions
- Shaving up to three metres of sand from the highest point above the car park and relocating it elsewhere on site
- Planting native vegetation including acacia, lomandra, banksia, spinifex, pigface and tuckeroo to enhance stability and biodiversity
- Installing protective fencing along the front and back of the dune from the clubhouse to First Creek
- Creating a newly aligned central access path
- Replacing the wire and mesh screen on the timber wall near the shower to prevent sand blowing into the facility
Council's manager of environmental systems, Brendan Callander, explained: "We've done work previously to relocate sand and stabilise the dune, but this is a more significant undertaking. We're proposing to use earthmoving equipment to reshape and stabilise the dune, making it more resilient to the harsh coastal conditions."
Local Concerns and Criticism
Redhead Surf Life Saving Club life member Matt Kent, who first raised concerns with council in April 2024, welcomed the commitment but expressed doubts about its adequacy. "They're doing something, but what they're doing is probably not enough," Mr Kent stated on Wednesday.
Mr Kent highlighted ongoing issues, noting that sand had again engulfed the shower on Wednesday morning, requiring club members to scramble to clear the site before Sunday's Hunter Surf Life Saving Open Championships, which will host approximately 300 competitors.
"It's been shocking," he said. "The shower is full of sand again today. The footpath is three-quarters covered in sand. You go down to the other side of the car park and the sand dune is in the car path. They're just not looking after it. It's all just reactive maintenance."
Council's Response and Long-term Strategy
A council spokesperson emphasised that regular ongoing maintenance forms part of the management plan, with particular focus during the establishment phase of new vegetation. The spokesperson also addressed concerns about the biodegradable jute mesh used for temporary stabilisation.
"It [jute mesh] is installed as a temporary stabilisation measure while the plants become established," the spokesperson explained. "Once established, the plants themselves provide long-term stabilisation, so the jute fencing is not intended to be replaced unless it is damaged in the interim period."
The council confirmed plans to meet with Redhead Surf Life Saving Club and other stakeholders and key user groups to discuss the implementation. Work on the dune remediation could commence as early as June this year.
The draft Redhead Dune Management Plan remains on public exhibition until February 19, allowing community feedback before finalisation.
