Blog
Caring for our coasts?
Caring for our coasts? “Shoring up” Gold Coast most iconic beach, Surfers Paradise in 2013 (photo source: Naomi Edwards) Over the past two weeks I have had the opportunity to lecture to students at two great Australian universities, Sydney and UNSW. The lectures have...
MOUTH OF THE RIVER MURRAY
MOUTH OF THE RIVER MURRAY Our esteemed Vice-President of ACS, Emeritus Professor Nick Harvey, has recently co-authored a paper with Kristine James and Bob Bourman on the flood-tidal delta in the River Murray estuary (Journal of Coastal Research, 2015, 31, 1103-1119)....
Trip to the Southwest Coast of WA
Trip to the Southwest Coast of WA Last week I had a most enjoyable visit to Perth and the southwest corner of WA. The reason for the trip was an invite to present the annual Joe Gentilli public lecture at the University of Western Australia. Joe was involved in the...
Neogene and Coasts
Neogene and Coasts How Australia dried out and how our beaches were formed (photo source: australasianscience.com.au) I have been reading this week some literature on the Neogene Period and coastal morphology. Why you may ask? Well for many years this geological...
COASTAL LAKES
COASTAL LAKES Lake Illawarra – NSW South Coast I had reason this week to look once again at Schedule 1 of the NSW State Environmental Planning Policy 71 (SEPP 71). This Schedule lists a number of coastal lakes that are deemed to be ”sensitive coastal locations” under...
COASTAL URBAN DESIGN
COASTAL URBAN DESIGN Recreational parks along beaches are a great way to open public access while maintain development set backs. Five principles for coastal settlement structure were used to describe elements of the public domain and the built form that reinforces...
QUARTZ SAND
QUARTZ SAND Dunes and rugged sandstone coastline, Royal National Park (photo source: Megan Rowlatt) I was privileged this morning to give a talk on Sydney beaches to the Probus Club at Souths Juniors. I love talking to these groups of retired folk, makes me feel...
CLIMATE CHANGE LITIGATION
CLIMATE CHANGE LITIGATION Last week I attended three events that I found of interest to my work on coastal policy and science. The first was a workshop on East Coast Lows (ECLs) coordinated by the Office of Environment of Heritage in NSW. This brought together a range...
SAND WARS FILM NIGHT
Most of us think of it as a complimentary ingredient of any beach vacation. Yet those seemingly insignificant grains of silica surround our daily lives. Every house, skyscraper and glass building, every bridge, airport and sidewalk in our modern society depends on...
WAR VETERANS AS COASTAL MENTORS
WAR VETERANS AS COASTAL MENTORS Harley Jesse Walker, better known as Jess, an Emeritus Professor of Geography at Louisiana State University. This week I learnt of the death of Harley Jesse Walker, better known as Jess, an Emeritus Professor of Geography at Louisiana...
INTEGRATED OR DISINTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT?
INTEGRATED OR DISINTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT? A lack of leadership and failed responses over many years has resulted in mis-management at Old Bar in NSW Many have written about the relevance of ICZM to good coastal management both in Australia and overseas. Our...
ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTS
ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTS In 2008 the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists released a report entitled Accounting for Nature. At the time we never dreamed of where our ideas would take. With the support of the Purves Environmental Fund and The Ian Potter Foundation, we...