Funding for Middleton Beach foreshore welcomed

13 July 2018

Middleton Beach is a step closer to becoming Western Australia’s most iconic and active regional beach precinct thanks to a $4.5 million investment from the Australian Government.

The Building Better Regions funding was announced by Federal Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson this week and will allow the City of Albany, with support from LandCorp to undertake foreshore revitalisation that will encourage development investment and provide long-term coastal protection.

The project will maintain the unique landscape character and natural assets of the Middleton Beach foreshore, while enhancing lifestyle and tourism.

The City of Albany will contribute $2.04 million in cash to the project as well as substantial in-kind support, and the State Government through LandCorp will fund $2.47 million of the more than $9 million project.

Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington said it would transform the area by creating improved event space and beach experiences, pedestrian networks, rehabilitating the environment and undertaking important coastal protection works.

“What we will confront over coming decades is sea level rises and this will have an impact on this site so it won’t be too long before we will need to undertake some works to protect what we already have there,” Mayor Wellington said.

“There is also a requirement before a hotel is built to ensure it and any other new development is protected, so rather than just protect the new development sites we have an opportunity to do all the work now and future proof the whole foreshore so the community can enjoy it for many years to come.”

Mayor Wellington said by partnering with LandCorp and the Australian Government to achieve protection of the whole foreshore before development progresses, it would save ratepayers money in the long term.

“We are very grateful for the cooperation from LandCorp and the support of Rick Wilson and the Government to help us get the best outcome we can,” he said.

“We could have just allowed protection measures to be put in place on the new development sites, but it would have cost our ratepayers a whole lot more to come back down the track and do what we will need to do in 20 years or so to protect the parkland, playgrounds, surf club and other buildings already there.”

Acting Chief Executive Officer Michael Cole said using modern coastal protection design meant there would not be a visible seawall around the foreshore.

“Coastal protection science is quite advanced these days and what will happen is a combination of underground rock armouring and retaining of the existing ground levels to add further structural stability to the foreshore’s edge,” Mr Cole said.

“This will be overlayed with some surface treatments such as a promenade walkway and seating wall

to provide additional strength and enhance the visual appeal of the area, and we will take steps to

ensure existing vegetation including the iconic foreshore pines are protected.”

Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington thanked Mr Wilson for advocating for the project.

“This will provide a huge benefit to Albany’s liveability and tourism for years to come and will create an

area our community will be able to have a lot of pride in,” he said.