1.4 The Case of Byron Shire

Byron Shire is also on the north-east coast of NSW and is prone to floods as a result of SLR. Rising sea levels are expected to have a huge impact on the Byron Shire, with hundreds of millions of dollars in property, industry, and assets at risk of submersion. Coastal and Biodiversity Coordinator Chloe Dowsett. (Byron Shire Council’s coastal and biodiversity coordinator) said the damage due to coastal erosion in the Byron Shire has been an issue since a long time (Hartley, 2022).

“Coastal hazards such as coastal erosion and shoreline recession, being the landward movement of the shoreline over time, appear to be occurring at a faster rate in Byron due to the complex nature of these processes and their interaction” said Ms Dowsett (Hartley, 2022).

In Byron Bay, coastal erosion is a common occurrence. The jetty was damaged and rebuilt in 1928 after being damaged by storm surge in the area. This jetty was rebuilt only to be destroyed by high seas in 1954 due to a tropical hurricane. The town has always strived to establish a balance between growth and natural land preservation. The management of the coastal zone has been the subject of ongoing controversy. Coastal preservation was predicated on long-term preventive measures for seal level rise under the previous government’s control (2005-2011) and invoked the policy of ‘planned retreat’ (Roche, et al. 2013).

In the 1970s, private owners built ad hoc sea walls with the cooperation of the council, using land fill and automobile wrecks. After tropical cyclone Pam caused beach erosion, resulting in the loss of numerous properties in Belongil, thus ‘planned retreat’ as a policy was adopted in 2004. In 2008, a revised act specified that private owners might deploy Emergency Coastal Protection Works (ECPW). This enabled landowners to secure their coastal properties using temporary shortterm ‘protection methods’. However, no attention was made to protecting the coast through more permanent engineering measures (Roche, et al. 2013).

Later built in 2015, the ‘coastal protection’ comprises of a major Groyne in the main beach and two smaller ones to the north and south. The structure was built of rocks of various sizes to defend the houses on the coast, but it also failed. As a result, Byron Shire requires improved protection techniques to manage the coastline while also considering the adjacent properties and community.

1.5 Research Problem

As Cooke et al. (2012) argue, “rising sea levels and increased coastal populations will place continuing pressure on beaches, and an integrated approach to managing the coastal zone is called for” (Roche, et al., 2013).

Research Aim

With the rise in Sea levels posing a threat, how can Byron Shires Coastal Management adapt to build resilience to impacts of increasing Sea Levels?

Objectives:

1. Adaptation policy options and strategies to address SLR

2. Planning for SLR on the coastline

(Source: 7News 2022)

1.6 Methodology

This section describes the methodology used in this report in order to make it easier to understand. The case study will be introduced first, and then, based on the structure of the report, the methodology utilised in the report will be described in separate sections.

Byron Shire

Byron Shire is made up of national parks, residential and agricultural areas, as well as some industrial and commercial land usage. The majority of the urban areas are concentrated near the coast, particularly in Byron Bay. Rural area is primarily utilised for agriculture and farming. Tourism, like agriculture, is a major industry (id. Community, 2021).

Byron Shire is well-known for its gorgeous beaches and hinterlands, as well as its active community. It is one of the most frequently visited Local Government Areas. This topography provides residents and visitors with a distinct way of life. Byron shire’s population is expected to reach 37,950 by 2036 (Byron Shire Council, 2019). SLR is threatening the Byron Shire, causing coastal inundation and erosion, along with storm surges and sea level rise. The main beach and Belongil beach have already been subjected to coastal erosion. Since 1988, Belongil Beach has had annual coastal loss of 1.1+/- 0.3 meters (Byron Shire Council, 2019).

Adaptation strategies to SLR

The literature review includes three possible coastal adaptation strategies to sea-level rise, as endorsed by the IPCC (2001): protection, accommodation, and retreat. Secondary sources of information, such as reports, journal articles, and websites, were used to conduct this research. The literature study goes into greater detail about the various types of protective strategies for sea level rise. This is particularly thorough given that Byron Shire Council has a history of adopting protection techniques and is now assessing the best adaptation method to sea level rise via protection as a reaction to SLR.

Through this literature review three principles were established-

1. Reduces environmental damage

2. Can withstand external forces

3. Allows for community activities

Coastal Management Policies for SLR

The outcomes chapter describes the previous planning policies and techniques employed in Byron Shire, as well as future adaptation plans being developed to mitigate the effects of SLR. This chapter also investigates the effects of the tactics in use on the surrounding environment and community. This chapter’s information was taken from news articles, Byron shire policy documents, and reports.

Climate Change Adaptation Plan, Main Beach Shoreline Project Scope of Work, Climate Change

Strategic Planning Policy, Belongil Creek entrance opening strategy, Byron Shire Development Control Plan.

Assessment of Current Adaptation Strategy

The report’s discussion section covers the three principles and relates them to the current and planned planning strategy for mitigating the effects of SLR. The evaluation is based on qualitative research and how effectively the plan operates in relation to the three principles. It is difficult to evaluate adaption strategies using quantitative methods. Because quantitative approaches require a high level of scientific data and differ in terms of physical and climatic parameters from location to location. As a result, this report will employ the case study method with qualitative data.