New seawall to shore up heart of Woody Point
Published 25 November 2021
Action is underway to protect one of Redcliffe’s busiest seaside hubs from massive storms and climate change, with plans in motion to shore up the Woody Point seawall.
Moreton Bay Regional Council Mayor Peter Flannery announced today that design will begin next month to overhaul and replace the existing seawall, which abuts popular locations like the Woody Point Jetty, Humpybong Boat Club and businesses along Oxley Avenue including the Belvedere Hotel.
It comes after a number of dangerous storms buffeted the region during recent summers, and the announcement by council to develop a coastal hazard adaptation strategy aimed at making the region more resilient to erosion, storm tides and predicted sea level rise.
“Queensland is the most natural disaster-prone state in the country. Every summer our coastal communities cop a solid lashing from the rain and tides that come with storms,” Mayor Flannery said.
“This area is really the beating heart of Woody Point with its collection of community clubs, parks, popular restaurants and cafes, and we don’t want to lose it.
“While the existing seawall, which was built in the 1960s, has done a pretty decent job of protecting the area, we’ve seen that it’s prone to waves coming over the top in more severe storms.
“Add that to the risks of erosion and impacts of climate change further down the track, and it’s obvious we need to revisit this stretch of shoreline.”
Division 6 Councillor Karl Winchester welcomed the announcement and said that as part of the design tender he had pushed for any upgrade to include better access to the foreshore and improved amenity for the popular community hub.
“This is a much-loved area in our community, and it’s vital that we do our absolute most to protect the parks and businesses that bring with them thousands of families every year,” Cr Winchester said.
Mayor Flannery said the engineering and design process would take place throughout 2022 and be completed by 2023.
“It’s absolutely crucial this type of work is done thoroughly and right the first time before we build anything, and it adds to the wave of construction we have going on at the moment,” Mayor Flannery said.
“It’s just another way we’re investing $743 million this budget to build better infrastructure, protect our environment, create jobs and drive investment across the region as we come out of COVID-19.”
ENDS