JUST a few weeks ago, Council endorsed the exhibition of the draft Port Stephens Coastal Management Program (CMP).

The CMP is a long term, future focused document designed to deliver a coordinated approach to the management of our coastline.

We all know Port Stephens has a very unique and valuable coastal environment – from our sandy beaches and rocky headlands to the mangroves, saltmarshes and seagrass beds; it’s one of our most valued assets and a big part of what makes living here so incredible.

It’s also an environment that is constantly changing and at times, under threat.

It’s important for us to have a better understanding of these threats so we can plan, manage and protect our place for future generations.

The CMP is designed to do just that – it provides a framework that meets our current needs and equips us to face future challenges.

The CMP was developed in stages, over a number of years.

We’ve been talking with the community since 2021 to better understand the coastal areas most valued and what coastal hazards affect them.

We’ve also considered detailed technical data which has helped us model future threats to our coastline and waterways.

Together with the community, we have developed 60 actions designed to reduce the impacts of coastal hazards over time.

The CMP outlines how these actions will be implemented, the costs associated with the actions and proposed funding options.

The draft Coastal Management Program is on public exhibition until 28 March 2024.

We encourage you all to take some time to review the document and have your say. It’s a large and technical document so to make it a little easier to read, we’ve developed a summary document which provides an overview of the actions.

You can view the full Port Stephens Coastal Management Plan and the Summary Document at www.portstephens.nsw.gov.au/cmp.

By Ryan PALMER, Mayor, Port Stephens Council