Coastal erosion at Main Beach surf lifesaving tower, Gold Coast, Queensland. Credit: Flickr user Citt, CC BY 2.0.

The Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection declared new erosion prone areas for the Queensland coast with the re-introduction of climate change factors. The updated shoreline position is the width of the coast that is considered to be vulnerable to coastal erosion and tidal inundation, and includes a sea level rise factor of 0.8 metres.

The calculation of the erosion prone area is based on a combination of short-term erosion from extreme storm events, long-term erosion from channel migration or a sediment supply, dune scarp components, erosion risk due to future sea level rise from climate change, as well as a safety factor of 40%.

In response to the changes, the Spatial Industries Business Association (SIBA) is collaborating with the Urban Development Institute of Australia and requesting a meeting with the Minister of the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection to discuss the new changes and seek an update on the Government’s intentions on the matter.

In an announcement, SIBA stated that the changes may have an impact on land holdings and future development plans. SIBA added that if land holdings are captured in areas that have been added to the erosion prone area maps, there is a risk that when new coastal management districts are declared to align with the new erosion prone area maps, that development on that land could trigger a referral to the Queensland State Government for assessment.

For further information about the new erosion prone areas, visit the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection’s, Erosion prone area mapping.