Nationals pledge $50 million for crumbling Geraldton coastline

A groyne with a boat ramp, or an artificial reef are likely to be built at Geraldton’s Drummond Cove if the Nationals form government. WA Nationals Leader Mia Davies visited the site with other Nationals MPs on Wednesday to announce a $50 million commitment to fund anti-coastal erosion measures. She said they had identified 55 “hotspot” locations needing remedial action within 25 years, including Drummond Cove, Sunset Beach and 10 other regional locations requiring urgent attention. Nationals Member for Geraldton Ian Blayney said it was important to “defend the line” by protecting WA’s coastline rather than abandoning properties and infrastructure near the sea. “In places like this, I don’t think retreating is an option,” he said. Mr Blayney said Drummond Cove was likely to have a groyne of some kind protruding out into the sea. “One of the proposals is to incorporate a boat ramp into the works because the closest boat ramp to here is at the Town Beach,” he said. Acting Drummond Cove Progress Association president Gavin Hirschhaussen said the community was “pretty much fully aligned” in favour of an all-weather boat ramp. “It is going to benefit the community not just by preserving the beaches but also improving the assets and protecting State Government assets,” he said. “And also providing the local community with certainty that it’s going to be protected long-term.” Mr Hirschhaussen said re-establishing sea access had been a longstanding community priority. “In terms of being able to escape from fires and emergency situations, there is really only one access point for one portion of the community,” he said. “That boat ramp will also shore up the ability to re-establish access between north and south.” Last month the WA Government allocated $1.76m of funding to high-priority coastal erosion projects across WA, including $600,000 to the City of Greater Geraldton for Drummond Cove.