Hawks Nest beach receives Council upgrades before summer season commences Myall Coast Myall Coast - popup ad Myall Coast News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - August 24, 2023 The freshly-laid concrete shifts the new showers up to the wooden fence CONCRETE upgrades have begun at the base of the Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) at Hawks Nest’s Bennetts Beach. MidCoast Council has kicked off work to improve accessibility to Bennetts Beach, with the project including a host of fundamental and essential improvements to the site. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au A new, reinforced concrete pathway is being laid to improve beach access, and eliminate poor drainage erosion, hopefully limiting the previous leap that was required to get down to the main access from the SLSC. Other features to be included in the upgrade will be two additional showers, some sandstone block seating, and the replacement of a small retaining wall, turfing and beach fencing – much of which has clearly reached the end of its usable life. “With increased usage of the beach and the facilities over the years at Hawks Nest, Council is glad to be able to perform this project to improve access and usability of the area, just in time for summer,” Amanda Hatton, MidCoast Council’s Manager Strategy and Projects, told News Of The Area. Sustained community pressure to focus on these kinds of needs has also contributed to the activation of this project, with Bruce Murray, President of the Hawks Nest Tea Gardens Progress Association telling NOTA, “It is great to see this project underway.” Council has also cited statistics that have been provided by lifeguards, suggesting that beach access needed improving. “The concreting is looking amazing, and really shows how it will enable more accessibility around the Club as well as to the new showers,” Rebecca Curtis, President of the TGHN Surf Life Saving Club, told NOTA. The new showers are yet to be installed, and, presumably, further landscaping will bring the earthen surfaces flush with the new concrete edges. The beach access upgrade project is being funded by MidCoast Council through the 4WD beach permit program, and is expected to take three weeks, weather permitting. By Thomas O’KEEFE Accessibility should soon be assured with some further level-matching earthen work. Two new showers will drain directly into the bush, avoiding the previous erosion issues.
