2021-10-08 SM - Item 1 - Attachment 2 - Draft Coastal Hazards Adaptation Plan - tracked changes

SUNRISE BEACH AND SUNSHINE BEACH
Setting
Sunrise Beach and Sunshine Beach are the northern-most localities in the Eastern Beaches.
Bordered by Burgess Creek in the south, and Noosa National Park at the northern end, this locality
has around 3.2 kilometres of beach frontage with a narrow, vegetated dune area between
development and the sea. These localities, particularly the beaches and foreshore recreational
areas, are popular with locals and visitors. They contain a range of assets and activities, from
residential and tourist accommodation, to popular restaurants and the Sunshine Beach Surf Life
Saving Club (SLSC). Despite their popularity these localities maintain the aesthetics and
atmosphere of a small village.

Risks to Sunrise Beach and Sunshine Beach
Both Sunrise and Sunshine Beach have experienced erosion and loss of the frontal dunes during
powerful swell events and tropical cyclones. Like the other Eastern Beaches localities, the beaches
have typically recovered through natural coastal processes over time. However, due to the level of
recreational activity occurring on these beaches, foot-traffic is likely impairing the rate of recovery
compared to less populated beaches to the south. Additionally, the historical encroachment of
development on the primary dunes has also potentially impairedlimited somewhat the ability of
wind-blow sand to replenish the wider dune system.

The low height of the frontal dunes, backed by very steep vegetated primary dunes, in this section
of the coastline mean some areas of the beach and dune foreshore are already atmay be at risk
from a major coastal erosion event. As sea levels continue to rise, an increasing number of private
assets are projected to be exposed to coastal erosion, with some considered at very high risk as
soon as the year 2040. Appendix 4 shows the projected change in erosion prone area due to sea
level rise across various parts of Sunrise Beach and Sunshine Beach during a severe storm event.
Appendix 4 shows the change in risk profile across various parts of Sunrise Beach and Sunshine
Beach as the area exposed to the effects of coastal erosion increases. Tables 8 and 9 below
provide a summary of the changing risk profile for six broad asset types within the localities that
are projected to be exposed to the effects of coastal erosion between present day and 2100.

The main public assets at risk in Sunrise and Sunshine Beach are natural assets (beaches and
vegetated dunes); beach accesses; carparks and roads; buried infrastructure, and the Sunshine
Beach SLSC and Ed Webb Park. As well as these, a significant number of beachfront private
dwellings are expected tomay be affected. The capacity to provide and maintain coastal protection
works (e.g. seawalls) for protection from erosion risks is significantly impaired given the steep
profile of the dune system upon which the majority of high-risk locations are developed (such as
private dwellings along Seaview Terrace, Park Road, and Tingira Crescent) and the scale of many
of these structures relative to their lot size.

Impacts to the public assets (e.g. carparks, roads) may also to have indirect impacts on adjacent
commercial and retail businesses.




Noosa Council – Coastal Hazards Adaptation Plan 2020 - 2030                                    Page 43