Project Update - February 2022

As we move into 2022, phase 1 works are now complete at Port Beach. At the end of December 2021, Contractor Castle Civil completed the removal of the remnant seawall and sand screening for rocks along the beach between Sandtrax and 200 m south of Tydeman Road. Whilst Castle Civil cleaned Port Beach as much as practical, it appears that some small rock from outside of the accessible areas, has migrated to the beach and swash zone. The focus of the phase 1 program of works was to prepare the beach for phase 2 and the sand nourishment program.

During the extraction program, a considerable amount of larger rocks were uncovered, which has been temporarily stockpiled at the Sandtrax car park. The project team is currently working through a number of options of how that rock will be handled.

In the meantime, planning for Phase 2 works is continuing. With the City, in collaboration with the Fremantle Ports and Department of Transport, working through the environmental approvals process, which includes consulting with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

The City has engaged a coastal engineering and environmental management consultancy, who have prepared an environmental management plan for the Phase 2 program of works. The plan includes environmental monitoring and management measures that will be implemented during Phase 2, to ensure the potential environmental impacts are mitigated.

It is anticipated that the Phase 2 program of works will commence after Summer 2022 to minimise the impact on the seagrass habitat as well as to minimise disruption to beach users.

Find out more about the history and coastal processes at Port Beach

Have you seen the new information sign installed at Port Beach? It provides information on the long and significant history of development and changes to the shoreline at Port Beach. As well as the coastal processes contributing to erosion and the outcomes the sand nourishment.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank the community for their patience and understanding during the delivery of Phase 1 and any inconvenience these works may have caused.

Rocks are often exposed at low tide at Sandtrax. Whilst the prevailing summer conditions continue to contribute to the sand movement along Port Beach, following the completion of sand screening at Sandtrax, many rocks, that were often a public safety hazard, have been removed where practical.