Coastal erosion caused by Tropical Cyclone Alfred
During Tropical Cyclone Alfred in 2025, heavy seas, large swells, and strong onshore winds triggered significant coastal erosion.
As a result, we need significant funding to carry out repairs to our emergency and pedestrian beach access ways and dunes.
Find out about what we are doing to help our coastline recover.
Damages caused by Cyclone Alfred
- Lowering of the beach profile.
- Unsafe and steep scarps.
- 32 public beach access ways needing repair.
- 5 emergency vehicle beach accesses needing significant repairs.
- Loss of signage and other infrastructure.
- Loss of dune vegetation.
Locations of significant erosion
- Brunswick Heads
- New Brighton
- South Golden Beach
- Suffolk Park.
What funding Council needs to carry out works
We need significant funding to carry out repairs to our emergency and pedestrian beach access ways and dunes.
We are proposing a staged program to help us apply for funding:
- Stage 1 - Immediate priority works to reinstate emergency vehicle access ways.
- Stage 2 - Works to reinstate public beach access ways.
- Stage 3 - Works to restore dune volume and habitat.
Disaster funding needed from the State or Federal Governments
We have not yet received any disaster funding from the State or Federal Governments for recovery of the coastal environment to the impacts of the cyclone.
We continue to advocate for immediate funding to enable works to go ahead.
We do not have budget to fund these significant works.
Recovery works by Council
We are doing minor works up and down the coastline trying to ‘make safe’ public beach access ways.
Some of these works have been further impacted by coastal erosion due to wave conditions and high tides.
This means steep escarpments and drop-offs, debris and fallen trees, continue to impact access ways.
In the past, we have successfully implemented Dune Recovery and Coastal Erosion Projects to help stabilise and rebuild dunes.
However, works such as these need significant funding.
What are other coastal councils doing?
Byron Shire is not alone in this issue. Our neighbours have also been significantly impacted by coastal erosion.
All councils are waiting for funding announcements to help them to plan their response.