Upcoming beach replenishment works to protect South Australia’s beaches from erosion

Beach replenishment works will continue this winter to reduce the effects of coastal erosion on Adelaide beaches, the government of South Australia has confirmed.

Strong winds, large waves, and storm surges, especially in winter, cause erosion along the coast.

The Department for Environment and Water closely monitors the entire coastline to determine where sand is needed in preparation for further winter storm activity.

Upcoming works will include the following:

• Henley Beach South/Henley Beach – Up to 20,000 cubic metres of sand accumulating at the Torrens Outlet will be trucked to affected areas at Henley Beach South and Henley Beach to replenish the beach. Works will start from July 31 and will take about four weeks, depending on weather conditions.
• Semaphore Park – About 10,000 cubic metres of sand will be collected from the Semaphore Breakwater in late August and moved along the beach to replenish eroded dunes at Semaphore Park, between Third Ave and Mirani Court. Works will take about three weeks.
• West Beach – The beach will continue to be replenished with 50,000 cubic metres of sand from land-based quarries in spring. This is in addition to the 50,000 cubic metres delivered between April and June this year, and the 50,000 cubic metres delivered in spring 2022.
• Glenelg North – About 40,000 cubic metres of sand will be trucked to Glenelg North from where it builds up at West Beach harbour. The work will be completed before summer.

Department for Environment and Water Coast Protection Manager Murray Townsend said sand replenishment works were generally undertaken during cooler months when there were fewer people on the beaches.

“Our beaches are constantly changing and sand naturally moves north along our coastline,” Dr Townsend said. “A sustainable approach to managing Adelaide’s coastline involves moving sand from areas where sand accumulates to areas of depletion, supplemented by bringing in additional sand from external sources when required. These works will ensure our beach system is more resilient to storm damage while also providing sandy beaches for the community to enjoy.”

The state government has commissioned an independent review into the management of Adelaide’s beaches to ensure a long-term solution is found.

The scientific review is due to be completed by the end of 2023.