Coastal Environment

The native vegetation found along the Newcastle coastline is quite limited due to pressures from urbanisation and the spread of the highly invasive coastal weed - Bitou Bush (Chrysanthemoides monilifera). We work with organisations such as Landcare to undertake revegetation works along our coastline to maintain its vegetation corridor.

Examples of the plants found along our coastline include:

• Themeda Grasslands – a very rare community of grass only found on coastal headlands and sea cliffs. In Newcastle we are fortunate to have 2.6 hectares of the grassland across King Edward Park, The Obelisk and Strzelecki.
• Kangaroo Grass (Themeda Australis) is the main species found in the grassland.
• Themeda Seedhead – is an endangered ecological community and it cannot be mown. Not mowing the grassland allows us to enjoy the natural beauty of one of NSW’s rarest communities.

Newcastle’s coastal rock platforms are occupied by a great diversity of plants and animals. The rock platforms between the Soldiers Baths and Newcastle Beach are home to the greatest number of rare invertebrate and bird species. Further information about the plants and animals that call our coastal rock platforms home can be found at:

• Rock Platform Animals
• Rock Platform Birds
• Rock Platform Crabs
• Rock Platform Algae
• Beachcombing and Shells

To protect our rock platforms, remember to:

• Look at rock platform creatures, but don’t touch them
• Try to walk around birds (keep 20m away if possible) which will help the birds to stay relaxed and will avoid disturbing them
• Never throw anything at the birds
• Don’t pick up the birds if they are looking tired
• Do not take your dog onto our rock platforms
• Take home any discarded fishing tackle to help protect the many living creatures who call our rock platforms home.

Our coast and beaches are major drawcards for visitors and are loved by locals. To ensure we protect the environmental health of our coast we take various measures to manage pollution and human impacts.

Potential sources of pollution on Newcastle's beaches include:

• Stormwater runoff
• Discharge of pollutants from the Hunter River,
• Sewage overflows and discharges from wastewater treatment plants
• Litter from beach users.

We undertake several activities to help manage coastal pollution, including:

• Implementing an ongoing program of works to improve the quantity and quality of stormwater including gross pollutant traps, sand filters and porous pavement
• Requiring developments to have appropriate stormwater controls in place to prevent pollutants from entering our waterways
• Educating the community about stormwater and our waterways
• Undertaking regular beach cleaning, which includes the use of a tractor and sieve to remove litter from the sand.

Further information about coastal pollution can be found at the Office of Environment and Heritage.

4WD motor vehicles are not permitted on the beaches within the Newcastle local government area.

4WDs are permitted in the Worimi Conservation Lands in the Port Stephens local government and Belmont Wetland State Park in the Lake Macquarie local government area, subject to permits and approvals.

• Beach erosion - the offshore movement of sand from the beach during a storm event.
• Shoreline recession - the landward movement of the shoreline over time due to a net loss of sand and sediment.
• Coastal lake or water course entrance stability - the tendency for entrances to close, reopen or form new openings.
• Tidal inundation - the flooding of land by tidal action under average conditions.
• Coastal inundation - Storm-related flooding of coastal lands (storm surge) and wave run-up.
• Coastal cliff or slope instability.

The Newcastle Coastal Zone Management Plan 2018 prescribes the short and medium term actions to manage identified coastal hazards. With two distinct coastal environments, the Newcastle Coastal Zone Management Plan 2018 has two parts: Part A - Stockton and Part B - Coastline South of the Harbour.

You can read more about the work we have completed to manage the beach erosion on Stockton Beach as part of the Stockton Coastal Management Plan and work that is underway on the Southern Beaches Coastal Management Plan.

Learn more about Coastal Management by watching these short videos with Dr David Wainwright, Coastal Engineer and Conjoint Lecturer at the University of Newcastle.

• Coastal structures (2mins 50secs) such as groynes, breakwalls and seawalls can all impact sand movement.
• Sand nourishment (2mins 38secs) is when you take sand from somewhere else and import it to give you a sandy beach for recreation or to provide more protection during erosion events.
• Sand movement (1min 29 secs) along the NSW Coast is mostly from south to north with both natural and artifical obstacles affecting the movement of sand.

• NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment
• Geoscience Australia - Coastal Erosion