Patrick Goldsmith, Yorke Peninsula Country Times
Coobowie residents have raised concerns over Yorke Peninsula Council’s preliminary discussions to install a coastal protection structure along the town’s beach.
A community information session was attended by council staff, project consultants and many of the town’s residents at the community hall on Thursday, August 10.
Community members questioned the need for a wall which they believe will stretch 12 metres from the front of foreshore properties onto the beach.
Conceding the town progress association has “a different agenda” to those frustrated by the potential structure, resident Peter Hooper established a new group, Friends of Coobowie Foreshore.
He said the group insisted some areas of the peninsula were in dire need of protection against rising sea waters, but Coobowie wasn’t one of them.
“We don’t agree with the one wall fits all policy which they seem to be applying,” he said.
“They haven’t taken into account the local conditions… the rock wall they’re proposing is similar to say, the breakwater at Glenelg, but Adelaide gets hit by storms driven by south-westerlies; we don’t.
“Unfortunately, it’s going obliterate the beach.
“We would expect the caravan park, the shop, the hotel will all be affected; the whole town will be affected.”
Having done his own calculations, Mr Hooper said he believed it would be 128 years before the water level reached the top of the wall.
Group members have indicated their desire to work collaboratively with council, which has also explored installing structures at Pine Point, James Well, Port Clinton and Foul Bay.
YPC director assets and infrastructure and acting CEO Andre Kompler said the current steps should be the catalyst for future preparation.
He said no concepts, including the one at Coobowie, are locked in.
“Whilst council does not have to do anything to address sea level rise, nor fund any seawall structural protection of private property, staff have proactively sought professional marine consultant assistance to advise on sea level rise related inundation impact and possible concepts for mitigating the same for a number of its coastal settlements,” Mr Kompler said.
“Recent community consultation on seawall concepts at most communities has largely been positive and constructive; however, disappointingly less so at Coobowie.
“Whatever is done to mitigate inundation from the sea at Coobowie will need to include consideration of higher-than-normal rainfall removal behind any seawall.
“A report on the community consultation will ultimately go to council, and next steps discussed thereafter.”
Council’s work on the projects to date has been made possible due to funding from the Coast Protection Board.
This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 29 August 2023.
