Court Allows Seawalls on NSW Coast, Prompting Calls for National Erosion Policy

The NSW Land and Environment Court has ruled that homeowners in The Entrance North on the Central Coast may construct seawalls to shield their properties from erosion, a move that civil engineer Angus Gordon describes as a regrettable precedent contrary to the principles he helped embed in the 1978 Coastal Protection Act and its 2016 amendment. Gordon also criticized Crown Lands for deploying sandbags at Byron Bay’s Clarkes Beach, arguing that the temporary fix contradicts his earlier recommendation to retreat structures from the shoreline.

The Crown Lands agency defended the sandbagging as a legally permitted, council-approved measure lasting until 2037, with plans for renewal. Local advocacy group Wamberal Protection Association welcomed the court’s decision, pushing for broader adoption of rock revetment solutions across NSW. Meanwhile, Southern Cross University Deputy Vice-Chancellor Tim Smith highlighted that Australia’s legal system lags behind the realities of climate-induced coastal loss, calling for a national dialogue on balancing private property rights with public and environmental interests.