We are delivering a range of emergency repairs and long-term works to help manage, maintain and preserve Stockton's coastline.
The Stockton CMP 2020 outlined a series of short and long-term actions. These actions include construction of more permanent protection structures, which are required to shield the shoreline and reduce the chance of inundation during large swells.
One of these structures is a new buried seawall at the southern end of the Mitchell Street rock seawall.
What are we building?
The new terminal structure we are planning to build is a buried seawall constructed with vertical, overlapping concrete beams. When completed, the top of the wall will be buried as shown below.
The new seawall in this location is 126 metres long, and the base of the overlapping beams (piles) that form the wall will extend 8.5m below ground.
What will it look like?
Where will this be located?
The buried seawall will be constructed along the footway behind the Stockton Beach escarpment, opposite the houses running from 189 to 209 Mitchell Street.
Why is a seawall the best option?
Before designing these structures, we studied and compared a range of potential design options to determine which solution best suited this location. We assessed each option's ability to address both storm erosion and long-term beach recession, access and amenity, cost to construct and to maintain over time, environmental impact, ease of construction and availability of materials.
Compared to other terminal protection solutions our design, known as a vertical secant pile seawall, requires less excavation during construction, which is more cost efficient and leads to less disruption during construction than other options. They also present the ability to increase the structure’s height in the future if required.
When will construction start?
We are currently planning to start construction in April.
We will continue to work with Stockton Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Group to ensure these works respect the significance of the Stockton coastline to the Worimi people, and protects their heritage.
In the interim, emergency sandbags at the southern end of the Mitchell Street rock seawall have been repaired, and an additional two layers of rock bags have been placed at the base of the emergency structure to provide stability until the new vertical structure is complete.
How is it funded?
The project has been co-funded by the NSW Government via a grant from the Coastal and Estuary Grants Program.
Want to know more?
A works update letter was delivered to approximately 200 homes in the nearby area in late March, and can be viewed here.
Latest News
28 March 2023 - Works to start at Stockton's Mitchell Street seawall
28 December 2022 - NSW Government funding for Stockton protection structure
12 December 2022 - Protection for Stockton Beach
1 October 2022 - Works continue to protect Stockton's coastline