Figure 7: The five stages of a Coastal Management Program

1.4 How the program was prepared

Under the CM Act 2016, Local Councils are responsible for preparing CMPs to protect the coastal zone and marine estate. The entire Manning Estuary and coastal zone is within the MidCoast Council Local Government Area, along with most of the river catchment. MidCoast Council therefore led development of the Manning River ECMP, in consultation with partner agencies, stakeholders and our community.

The Manning River ECMP was developed by a project team from MidCoast Council shown in Appendix 1. The team followed the stages set out in the Coastal Management Manual, which are shown in Figure 7. Tasks completed in each stage are shown below, noting they were not always completed in chronological order.

Figure 7: The five stages of a Coastal Management Program

Stage 1: Scoping Study and community values

Stage 1 was undertaken in 2018-19. Tasks undertaken included:

• Establishing a governance framework

• Preparing a stakeholder engagement strategy

• Consulting our community on values

• Determining key issues and spatial extent

• Undertaking a first pass risk assessment

• Completing a literature review

• Identifying knowledge gaps

The results of Stage 1 were presented in the Manning River and Estuary CMP Scoping Study (Annexure A), which was reviewed by representatives of the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment and revised in-line with their recommendations.

Stage 2: risks, vulnerabilities, research to address knowledge gaps

In Stage 2 we commissioned detailed studies to identify, analyse and evaluate risks, vulnerabilities and opportunities. All studies are available on the Our Manning River web page. They include:

• Coastal wetlands mapping and assessment to ground-truth the CM SEPP at fine scale

• A Rapid Site Assessment covering 206 sites across the entire Manning catchment, surveying water quality and ecosystem health.

• A Calibrated (second pass) Spatial Risk Assessment by the Department of

Planning, Industry and Environment. This included an Estuary Health Risk

Model and assessment of erosion risks to riparian vegetation.

• A social science project, in which a consultant interviewed farmers to understand their barriers and drivers for catchment management activities

• An issue analysis including review of existing management arrangements, what’s working, what’s not, opportunities.

Photo: A scientist from the NSW Government undertaking water quality testing for our rapid site assessment in 2020.

Stage 3: analyse issues, identify and evaluate management options

In Stage 3 the project team and consultants from two firms completed the work that underpins the Manning River ECMP, in consultation with our stakeholders. Tasks completed included:

• Developing local vision and objectives and confirming the CMP’s strategic direction.

• Identifying management options.

• Evaluating management options for technical and legal feasibility, financial viability, and acceptability to stakeholders and the community.

• Selecting and prioritising the management actions that proceeded into the

CMP.

• Developing the Business Plan.

• Documenting evidence to support a future planning proposal to amend the

Coastal Wetlands SEPP.

Stage 4: writing, exhibiting and adopting the CMP

Building on all the work of Stages 3-4, MidCoast Council prepared the Manning River and Estuary CMP. Objectives and management actions are grouped around eight themes shown in Figure 8.

Photo: Cal Dunn, Burrell Creek