Project Update 19 June 2025: Stage 2 Hazard Assessments completed and endorsed

Council resolved at the 17 April 2025 meeting to endorse the Stage 2 Coastal Hazard Assessment and Coastal Geotechnical Instability Assessment as the basis for developing Stage 3 of the Tweed Coast and Estuaries Coastal Management Program.

The Coastal Hazard Assessment presents the outcomes of a comprehensive study of coastal processes and hazards affecting the Tweed Shire coastline and coastal estuaries, including beach erosion and recession and tidal inundation.
The Geotechnical Instability Assessment considered the stability and risk of landslip at our coastal cliffs (Duranbah, Fingal, Norries headland and Hastings Point). This document can be accessed by contacting Council's Coast and Waterways team.

These reports help Council identify, analyse and evaluate risks, vulnerabilities and opportunities on the Tweed Coast in the coming decades. A range of technical appendices and maps are referred to which can be accessed by contacting Council with a specific request.

Project Update 22 October 2024: Next steps

The Stage 2 report for the Tweed Coast and Estuaries Coastal Management Program (TCE CMP) is nearing completion, with public release of the report and coastal hazard studies expected in early 2025.

Meanwhile, we are beginning preparations for Stage 3, which will focus on identifying and evaluating management options to address the risks and vulnerabilities identified in Stage 2 such as beach erosion and tidal inundation. Keep an eye out for Stage 3 community engagement opportunities in early 2025.

Project update 12 March 2024: Community engagement summary available

Thank you to everyone who participated in Stage 2 of the Coast and Estuaries CMP. Community engagement through Stage 2 is important for the following reasons:

Community involvement at the early stages of the project benefits community and the project
Facilitates information sharing and transparency with the aim of creating better outcomes
Local knowledge is priceless, and this is our chance to learn from you
Provides a better understanding of community uses, values and priorities in the coastal zone

The overwhelming consensus among participants emphasises the community's deep appreciation for our natural surroundings, including our coastal beaches, estuaries, wildlife and habitats. It is clear that the natural environment holds significant importance to the community, with its preservation and enhancement being paramount.

View the Stage 2 community engagement summary report

View the presentation from the Community Conversations

To keep up to date with this project as it moves to the next stage click on the 'Follow Project' prompt on this page. The interactive map remains open for community comments.

Help develop a plan to protect your favourite beaches and creeks

Our coastal areas face increasing pressure from population growth, urbanisation and climate change. We are at the early stages of developing a Coastal Management Program (CMP) for the Tweed coastal areas and your input is important in developing a program that will:

Protect surrounding wildlife and natural habitats
Monitor and respond to changes we see happening
Manage our natural resources such as fish and farmland
Guide the protection and conservation of our coastal areas

Thanks to our community who participated in a short survey to help us build on our understanding on what you love about your local beach or creek and how you would like to see it protected and managed for the next 10 years.

Why do we need a Coastal Management Program for the Tweed coastal areas?

A Coastal Management Program considers measures to manage natural resources, educate communities, and monitor and respond to coastal changes. It will help Council clearly identify and balance competing interests and priorities in the coastal zone. It also considers risks and vulnerabilities relating to coastal areas, and ultimately produces management actions to address a range of coastal hazards.

The CMP will cover the 37km long open coastline and includes the 13 Council managed beaches and three coastal estuaries that span from Duranbah beach in the north to Wooyung beach in the south.

Have your say

Share what matters to you. Provide your feedback in one of the following ways:

Email: tsc@tweed.nsw.gov.au Subject: Coastal Management Program

Mail: General Manager, Tweed Shire Council, PO Box 816, Murwillumbah, NSW 2484.

Use the interactive map to share comments.

Coastal Management Program survey