Implementation of shoreline erosion management plan at Amity Point: A complex challenge

Astrid Stuer¹

¹Water Technology, Brisbane, Queensland

Abstract:

The township of Amity Point is located at the north-eastern point of North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia. The local Council engaged Water Technology (WT) to conduct a Shoreline Erosion Management Plan (SEMP) with a 20-year planning horizon. The foreshore is subject to retrogressive flow slides, while this phenomenon is not well understood, the private property owners have historically defended their properties by placing (mainly) rocks from the local quarry at the foreshore. The SEMP recognises the seawall style protection as a Flow Slide Barrier (FSB) and recommends continuing to maintain the structure.
WT was re-engaged to scope a strategy for implementation of the SEMP recommendations. The complexity around the implementation of the SEMP is due to the many stakeholders involved, as well as inclusion of legal implications around Native Title determination and maintenance obligations of the FSB. During this process specialised disciplines such as coastal law, community engagement and coastal engineering must collaborate to cover all aspects of the plan. A technical and legal review were conducted to ensure the engineering works are feasible and suitable as well as manageable for all involved stakeholders. The plan recommends for the local residents to manage the Flow Slide Barrier individually rather than managed by Council. This approach could become more relevant in the future with many foreshore residents facing increased erosion from climate change.
More Native Title consent determinations are to be expected in the future. Which could have effect on the way Coastal Engineers have to deal with local resources and areas of cultural significance. The paper and presentation will outline how those issues have been overcome at North Stradbroke Island.

Biography:

Astrid is an established, skilled & passionate Principal Coastal Engineer boasting over ten years postgrad experience, across corporate and government sectors with a passion for coastal and environmental projects.

She has previous experience managing projects of varying complexity and size, of local importance up to international multi-million-dollar joint-ventures, excelling at solving complex issues through innovative approaches and thinking. Her skills range from concept design, feasibility investigations, detailed design, project development and technical guidance.

She has a wealth of national and international experience across a variety of waterway, coastal and maritime related projects, including; Sustainability, Environmental impact assessment, Climate change, coastal and estuarine processes investigations (including hydraulics & sediment transport), coastal hazard assessments (including coastal risk and adaptation), Beach nourishment, Seawall design, Scour design, vegetation projects, waterway design, Structural condition assessments, Rock structure design, Ship impact, Tidal energy, Metocean analysis, Environmental loading, Port master planning, Fender design, Berthing processes & Cyclone shelter design.