Cronulla Beach Management

Coastal management is the practice of preservation and prevention of destruction to the marine and land environment including grasslands, vegetation, sand dunes, residential housing and landscape. Many strategies are used to protect the coastal area such as a sea bee wall to counteract wave destruction, sand dune revegetation to regenerate growth or construction of rock pools and rocky platforms to avoid coastal erosion. All three of the management tactics are used at Cronulla Beach, which is an extremely popular Australian hotspot for residents, tourists and the general public. Without the management strategies being utilised, destructive waves can erode cliffs where residential complexes have been built and the impact of storms will cause
The distance from Al Amanah College Liverpool to Cronulla beach is approximately is 33.9 km. (REFER TO FIGURE O.1). The suburb of Cronulla is known for its laidback beach lifestyle, surrounding of phenomenal scenery and modern apartment complexes available to reside in. It is also one of the busiest and constantly advancing yet adapting regions to accommodate for the residents and preserve the bays and coastal beach environments. Cronulla is often subjected to damaging impacts of storms, such as one that occurred in 1974, that can erode and demolish cliffs, destructive waves and lack of grassland environment. (REFER TO FIGURE 0.2). The communities present in Cronulla deal with how the residents interact and how to manage the environment and coast. If communities from Cronulla do not effectively manage the environment strategically, it can potentially be affected by loss of land and area which would gradually lead to lack of
This sea bee wall was first introduced to Cronulla in 25 June, 1946 and is still present today after gradual modifications. The wall helps to rebound the destruction of waves caused by high wind pressure. Water is rebounded as the water that enters the hive holes limits the pressure and impact. (REFER TO FIGURE O.4). However, the wall was not utilised to protect the beach itself, it was created to be used as a defence mechanism for the houses and complexes that were occupied by Cronulla residents. The wall which should supposedly preserve the beach, prevents the natural accumulation of the beach which harms the environment. It is also extremely costly at an expense of $3.3 million. Conversely, the sea bee wall helps to create natural sand dunes and avoid erosion which may affect areas of residency. The management strategy is effective but requires high maintenance by the Government and local Cronulla council or it will only last temporarily without