Council meets with NSW Government on Stockton erosion

Newcastle City Council and the Department of Premier and Cabinet met with the NSW Government's Coastal Panel at Stockton today to discuss the shoreline retreat plaguing the suburb.

The Chair of the panel, University of Sydney Emeritus Professor Bruce Thom, inspected the severely eroded dunes now threatening the Mission Australia Early Learning Centre, a Council asset that was formerly the North Stockton Surf Club.

^{Professor Bruce Thom (second from left) with Scot MacDonald MLC (right), Council CEO Jeremy Bath and Jane Gibbs (Office of Environment and Heritage) from the Coastal Panel Secretariat.}

"Today we have met with the State Government and the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) to work towards the best viable solution to protect the Stockton coastline," Council CEO Jeremy Bath said.

"We are continuing to work with OEH and researchers to find the best and most cost-effective way to stop the loss of more beach.

"How and who funds this cannot be decided until we have agreed on how best to solve the erosion issue."

Professor Thom is President of the Australian Coastal Society and former Chair of the Australian State of the Environment Committee. He is an expert on coastal management, coastal land-use planning, geology and geomorphology.

“I am pleased to have Professor Thom, OEH, Newcastle City Council and Department of Premier and Cabinet sitting down today," Scot MacDonald MLC said.

"We are determined to work together to understand Stockton’s coastal zone challenges and short and long-term management requirements."

Council will host a community meeting in the next month to update the Stockton community on the issue.