Early warning of wave action at popular marine walkway

Locals and visitors alike are drawn to Marine Parade, a walkway that skirts the beautiful Cabbage Tree Bay Reserve at Manly.

In fact, this 1 kilometre walkway linking Manly and Shelly Beaches is one of the most popular destinations in our area.

This historic coastal promenade was built back in the 1890s and has certainly seen its fair share of storm events, with one of the larger storms washing away part of the walkway and amenities block back in 2016.

To help Council get a clearer picture of potential storm action, an early warning system tool has been set up to forecast coastal hazards in the area, which in turn will help manage the risk to pedestrians from heavy swells along Marine Parade.

Developed by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Water Research Laboratory, the tool provides daily updates based on ocean conditions, with a traffic light system that alerts Council staff to whether waves are likely to break over the walkway, also known as ‘overtopping’.

A storm monitoring camera installed on the walkway provides the real time data that feeds back to the forecast tool.

By predicting the level of storm activity and potential risk to pedestrians more effectively, we are in a stronger position to determine the level of risk to pathway users.

This means we can keep the pathway open when the risk remains low to medium, or close it temporarily if it poses a higher risk.

Given the vast numbers of visitors to the area – Manly saw 2.6 million over the 2019 period* - it’s essential that the pathway remains accessible and safe.

The UNSW Water Research Laboratory is also considering other Northern Beaches locations, along with other NSW Councils areas, as suitable places for the tool.

Reference* Destination NSW