FAQs
- Stage 1: Identify the scope of the CMP
- Stage 2: Determine risks, vulnerabilities, and opportunities
- Stage 3: Identify and evaluate options
- Stage 4: Prepare, exhibit, finalise, certify, and adopt the CMP
- Stage 5: Implement, monitor, evaluate and report
Coastal and Estuary Processes Study
Inundation, Beach Erosion and Recession Study
Coastal Cliff Instability Study
Coastal Entrance and Estuarine Foreshore Erosion Hazard Study
Coastal Hazard Risk Assessment
- Updated sea level rise approach:
Instead of using one fixed sea level rise number for each future year (as done in 2010), the 2026 study uses a range of projections from the latest IPCC scenarios (SSP58.5). This better accounts for uncertainty. Council adopted this approach in March 2023. Longer time horizon:
The new study looks 25 years further ahead, projecting up to the year 2125.More hazard types included:
The 2026 study now also considers tidal inundation and coastal creek entrance instability, which were not assessed in 2010.Larger study area:
The Royal National Park and Wollongong Harbour are now included—both were excluded from the 2010 study.Better-quality data:
The new study uses modern datasets such as drone imagery, offshore bathymetry, and sub-surface information from geotechnical and geophysical investigations.Improved modelling tools:
It uses hydrodynamic models already developed through Council’s floodplain program to simulate inundation more accurately.Probabilistic modelling:
The 2026 study uses methods that estimate a range of possible outcomes, offering a clearer picture of uncertainty.Realworld validation:
The models were checked against actual data collected during the 2016 East Coast Low—including wave overtopping, runup, and erosion measurements.Beach erosion and recession hazard - 1% chance of exceedance for ‘zone of reduced foundation capacity’ (a zone behind a slumped eroded dune that may experience geotechnical instability).
Coastal inundation hazard – 1% AEP storm likelihood for 5% chance of exceedance SSP5-8.5 sea level rise.
What is a Coastal Management Program?
A Coastal Management Program (CMP) sets the long-term strategy for the coordinated management of the coast, with a focus on achieving the objectives of the Coastal Management Act 2016.
The CMP will identify coastal management issues and actions for the Wollongong open coast, balancing priorities for environmental, cultural, recreational and commercial values, along with adaptation to emerging issues such as sea-level rise and a changing population.
The CMP will detail how and when those actions are to be implemented, their costs, how they will be funded and by whom.
The preparation of the CMP must be prepared in accordance with the NSW government framework that includes meeting the obligations under NSW Coastal Management Act 2016 and the five stages outlined in the NSW Coastal Management Manual.
The framework also specifies the roles and responsibilities for relevant Ministers, the NSW Coastal Council, state government agencies, public authorities and local councils, as well as providing opportunities for communities to participate when preparing and implementing a CMP.
Why is the CMP important?
Our coastline is a sensitive natural environment that is exposed to natural coastal processes, population growth and diverse coastal uses, which create complex challenges. Council and other stakeholders are responsible for planning for and managing these challenges. The CMP aims to provide a coordinated and balanced approach to the management of the coast and coastal assets to ensure safety and sustainability both now and into the future.
How is a CMP developed?
The preparation of the Wollongong Open Coast Coastal Management Program involves five stages:
We are currently in Stage Two, undertaking studies to determine risks, vulnerabilities and opportunities.
How does this project relate to the Wollongong Coastal Zone Management Plan and/or Wollongong Dune Management Strategy?
In 2010, Council completed a Coastal Zone Study that identified the coastal processes and hazards potentially impacting the coastline and mapped the extent of land potentially impacted for the current year (2010) and the 2050 and 2100 timeframes. These hazards include beach erosion and shoreline recession, inundation of back beach areas, and geotechnical instability.
In 2012, Council used these mapped hazard areas in a risk assessment process to prepare a Coastal Zone Management Plan. This Plan was a strategic framework for co-ordinated, integrated and ecologically sustainable management of the coast affected by the coastal hazards, and the protection of coastal environments into the future. The Plan was certified by the NSW Government in 2017.
The Study and Plan were prepared under the NSW Coastal Protection Act 1979, which has been repealed and replaced with the Coastal Management Act 2016. Under this new Act, Coastal Management Programs take the place of Coastal Zone Management Plans.
A key issue identified in the Coastal Zone Management Plan was management of dunes, including excessive dune heights and scarping, and the role of dune vegetation in these issues. The Dune Management Strategy for the Patrolled Swimming Areas of 17 Beaches was prepared in 2013 to address beach amenity, degradation of sight lines for lifeguards and lifesavers, and access issues raised by the community, while considering biodiversity values and the role of dunes in coastal processes. The range of management options in the Strategy have now been implemented.
The CMP for the open coast of Wollongong LGA will replace these previous documents which can be found at https://wollongong.nsw.gov.au/about/environment/coast-and-waterways.
What is a Scoping Study?
Stage one was the scoping phase of the five-stage CMP process. The primary objective of the scoping study was to understand what our community values about our coast and current and future issues in coastal areas. This helped us develop a shared understanding of the current state of the coastal zone, identify issues and areas of focus of the new CMP.
We prepared the Scoping Study following a period of community and stakeholder consultation and the collation of relevant data.
What area is covered by the Wollongong CMP project?
The CMP will encompass the length of the coast and estuaries from Garie Beach at the northern Local Government Area boundary to the entrance of Lake Illawarra at the southern boundary. The coastline comprises a total of 27 beaches, mostly separated by headlands, rock platforms and cliffs.
The coastal zone around Lake Illawarra is presently managed under the Lake Illawarra CMP and is excluded from the study area. Similarly, the Port of Port Kembla is excluded as it is managed under a separate legislative framework. The Scoping Study contains more details and maps of the study area.
What Stage 2 projects are underway?
Identification and Vulnerability Assessment of Aboriginal Cultural Values and Assets
This study will apply a community-led placed-based approach and archaeological/cultural value surveys to identify both tangible and intangible cultural values along the coastline, determined by Traditional Owners, custodians and knowledge holders.
A cultural values vulnerability assessment will also be undertaken, utilising the outcomes of the coastal hazards assessments to determine risks, vulnerabilities and opportunities relevant to Aboriginal cultural values.
With this understanding, the Aboriginal community will develop culturally appropriate, site-based management and mitigation strategies to protect at-risk assets from further or future degradation. This project prioritises community empowerment through ensuring self-determination in culture and Country planning and management, fostering a deeper connection to ancestral lands, fulfilling cultural caring for Country responsibilities and ensuring the long-term sustainability of conservation efforts.
What are coastal hazards?
Coastal hazards are natural processes that can expose coastal areas to risks such as property damage, public safety concerns, and degradation of the coastal environment. They include:
a) Beach erosion
This is when the beach gets worn away or the shoreline moves inland, often after storms. It happens because wind, waves, tides, currents, higher-than-normal sea levels, or gravity move sand away from the beach.
b) Shoreline recession
This is the long-term, gradual movement of the shoreline inland over many years. As this happens, everything that makes up the beach area—dunes, sand, and the underwater zone—shifts landward too.
c) Coastal lake or creek entrance instability
This refers to the constant changes in the shape and position of entrances to coastal lakes or creeks. These entrances are naturally unstable because sand movement, tides, storms, and flooding regularly reshape them.
d) Coastal inundation
This happens when sea water rises higher than usual—because of tides, weather, or waves—and floods land that is normally dry. It can also occur when waves wash over dunes, seawalls, or other shoreline structures.
e) Coastal cliff or slope instability
This is when cliffs or steep slopes near the coast collapse, slide, or drop rocks. It occurs because weathering and erosion weaken different types of rock and soil over time.
f) Tidal inundation
This is flooding caused by normal high tides—especially very high ones like king tides—that push sea water onto low-lying land. Future sealevel rise is also considered when looking at this hazard.
g) Erosion and inundation of foreshores
This is when the shoreline wears away or floods because of tides, wave action, and how those waters interact with floodwaters coming from the land.
What is the Coastal Hazards Study?
To inform the new CMP, an evidence-based study has been undertaken to assess current and future coastal hazards.
Understanding these hazards—and how they may change over time—helps Council and the community plan for a more resilient coastline and protect what we value. The insights gained from this study is essential for identifying areas at risk and shaping long-term strategies in the CMP.
The study is made up of four informing studies:
And the consolidated report including risk assessment:
These documents follow the guidance in the NSW Coastal Management Manual and were supported by the NSW Government through the NSW Coastal and Estuary Program, including technical guidance and funding. All documents are all available in the Document Library on the project page Wollongong Coastal Management Program..
Why update the hazard assessments produced as part of the Coastal Zone Study 2010?
The new Coastal Hazards Study will replace the Coastal Zone Study 2010 with relation to the open coastline and estuaries. This excludes Lake Illawarra, which will still rely on the Coastal Zone Study 2010 mapping until updated mapping is undertaken in that estuary.
The Coastal Hazards Study has been prepared in accordance with the NSW Coastal Management Act 2016 and Coastal Management Manual, including the required hazard types and planning timeframes – up to 2125.
The Coastal Management Act 2016 lists the following coastal hazards:
a) Beach erosion
b) Shoreline recession
c) Coastal lake or watercourse entrance instability
d) Coastal inundation
e) Coastal cliff or slope instability
f) Tidal inundation
g) Erosion and inundation of foreshores caused by tidal waters and the action of waves, including the interaction of those waters with catchment floodwaters.
This Coastal Hazards Study investigates all seven hazards. The Coastal Zone Study 2010 only investigated hazards a), b), d) and e), as was required by the previous NSW Coastal Protection Act 1979.
There is more data now available, such as offshore bathymetry (topographic mapping of underwater terrain), to inform the study, along with data from ongoing beach and dune monitoring and impact of storms experienced since the old study was prepared. There also have been advances in methodologies that allow for a more comprehensive analysis of hazards and their inherent uncertainty.
Who contributed technical expertise to the Coastal Hazards Study 2026?
All parts of the study were undertaken by specialist consultants, with expertise in coastal, hydrological and geotechnical engineering and have developed similar studies for other local Councils.
NSW Government coastal specialists, University of Wollongong coastal experts, and Council subject matter experts provided input throughout the project (advising on methodology and reviewing outputs).
How has the methodology changed from the Coastal Zone Study 2010 to the Coastal Hazards Study 2026?
The 2026 study uses more advanced science, better data, and covers more locations and hazard types than the 2010 study. The main differences are:
Are there differences in results between the Coastal Zone Study 2010 and the Coastal Hazards Study 2026?
Because the new modelling looks further into the future, covers an increased number of coastal hazards and considers a wider range of sea level rise scenarios, more properties will now fall within the coastal hazard mapping extents. Of the land not previously included, the majority is within coastal inundation extents. Most of this land is also already mapped as flood affected.
What hazard zones were mapped in the Coastal Hazards Study 2026 and how can I access them?
There is extensive new mapping associated with the coastal hazard study, including a range of likelihoods and timeframes for each hazard type. This has allowed detailed consideration of levels of risk to assets and will also assist in ongoing decisions within asset management and strategic planning.
A concise set of maps for each hazard at each timeframe (“Present Day” (2025), “20-year” (2045), “50-year” (2075) and “100-year” (2125)) are publicly available via Council’s online mapping, e.g.:
More details about the full range of mapping can be requested by contacting Council.
What sea level rise projections are used in the Coastal Hazards Study 2026?
To assess coastal hazards, Wollongong City Council uses projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), specifically the SSP5-8.5 scenario, as adopted by Council in March 2023. These projections account for uncertainty by including a range of possible outcomes. Using multiple plausible sea level rise projections within SSP58.5 allows sensitivity testing across lower to higher trajectories within that pathway and avoids overreliance on a single projection. Importantly, sea-level rise is largely irreversible over centuries due to emissions already released, making accurate modelling essential for long-term planning.
More information can be found at https://wollongong.nsw.gov.au/about/environment/coast-and-waterways and in the Coastal and Estuary Processes Study Appendix A.
How is new development in areas mapped within the Coastal Hazard Study 2026 extents proposed to be addressed?
Council will use the new hazard mapping in the same way as the Coastal Zone Study 2010 mapping has been used, i.e. to identify where consideration of the coastal hazards is required when assessing the impact of development in accordance with the State Environmental Planning Policy (Resilience and Hazards) 2021 and the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979. Specific chapters of the Wollongong Development Control Plan 2009 are also relevant for some hazards, e.g. Chapter E12 (Geotechnical Assessment of Slope Instability) for cliff instability and Chapter E13 (Floodplain Management) for coastal inundation. This new coastal hazard information will inform future policy-based actions, such as amendments to Wollongong Development Control Plan.
What is the Coastal Hazard Risk Assessment?
The Coastal Hazard Risk Assessment report collates findings from the individual informing coastal hazard studies and presents a risk assessment relating to the potential threats to assets along the coastline, arising from coastal hazards. In this context, assets refer not only to built assets, such as roads, buildings, seawalls, and parks, but also natural resource assets such as areas of vegetation, coastal wetlands, or endangered ecological communities. A risk assessment process was undertaken to determine the assets most at risk from coastal hazards. Risks are presented for each geographical division (area) of the coastline and headline risks across the LGA are flagged. The report recommends focus areas for coastal hazard risk management over time, which will inform what actions are needed in the ten-year CMP that is in preparation.
How can I participate?
Engagement for the Stage 1 Scoping Study has now closed. There will be further opportunities for participation in the CMP project in Stage 3-5.
Who is managing the project?
Wollongong Council is the lead organisation in preparing the CMP, and is working with relevant agencies who have a role in management of the coast.
The project is being supported with $625,000 from the NSW Government’s Coastal and Estuary Management Program.
Is Lake Illawarra in the CMP process?
Lake Illawarra will not be part of this CMP for the coastal zone of the Wollongong LGA. Wollongong Council has already developed a CMP for Lake Illawarra in partnership with Shellharbour City Council and the NSW Government. The CMP was completed in 2020 and is a strategic program that will guide us in taking care of the lake over the next 5 to 10 years.
https://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/about/environment/coast-and-waterways/lake-illawarra