AN INNOVATIVE Noosa Council sand replenishment project is bringing back the beach at erosion-plagued Munna Point.
Infrastructure Planning and Design Manager Nick Wellwood this week confirmed the project had increased the beach profile by at least eight metres.
“This is a great result for Munna Point, where not long ago erosion was so severe we had to fence off the shoreline to ensure public safety,” he said.
Three 15-metre geo-fabric in-situ sand-filled groynes with toe mattresses extend into the river to curtail erosion and retain new sand.
“The current second phase involves a sand replenishment program to shift sand in the middle of the river over to the shoreline,” Mr Wellwood said.
“The aim here was twofold – restore the foreshore and move the channel back to the centre of the river and away from the shoreline where the current was exacerbating the scouring.”
Noosa Council developed the solution with consultant International Coastal Management, and the results have attracted international interest.
Council will co-present a paper on the project to the International Conference on Coastal Engineering in Istanbul in July next year.
“We’re now working on the design of a third phase in the project, which will add two small and one large groyne further north-east along the shoreline to stabilise sand at the point and protect the Munna Point camp kitchen,” Mr Wellwood said.
“Council and the Noosa River Reference Group decided to bring back the beach using an innovative design, and with up to 110 metres of beach length restored at Munna Point the results speak for themselves.”
While severe weather could still erode the shoreline, Mr Wellwood said the groynes and scour mattresses would buffer the impact and help provide a faster fix.
“Council is asking river users to assist council’s efforts by not anchoring boats on exposed sand bags and groyne sections, and reduce speed on the water to reduce wash adjacent the Munna Point area.”
