Redland City Council is set to pilot a living shoreline project at Three Paddocks Park in Birkdale to enhance the ecological functions of the foreshore and protect against erosion, while also delivering amenity improvements in the area for park users.
Mayor Jos Mitchell said the trial site would be established with funding received through the state-wide QCoast2100 program, which provides support to councils for projects that improve coastal hazard resilience.
“Living shorelines are comprised of nature-based elements such as mangroves, reef structures or seagrasses and are used in place of hard-engineered seawalls to protect against erosion and a variety of other coastal hazards,” the Mayor said.
You may also like these stories
“They are more forgiving on the natural environment than man-made structures such as stone seawalls, bulkheads or breakwaters, and are capable of repairing themselves after storms and other severe weather events.
“They are also known to be more adaptive to climate change, require less long-term maintenance, are cost-effective, and contribute positively to the health of the marine ecosystem in the surrounding area.
“This means fish, frogs, crabs and other marine life are not displaced and can continue using these sites for feeding and shelter.
“In the case of the Birkdale trial, which is due to commence this month, the living shoreline will also protect vital habitat for shorebirds and other birdlife that use the area.”
Three Paddocks Park was prioritised for the trial due to its ecological significance and to mitigate erosion from encroaching on the adjacent recreational land used by the community.
The nature-based elements used in living shorelines help to better connect the land to the bay and protect against erosion by reducing wave energy and trapping sediment.
Environment Portfolio Councillor Julie Talty said living shorelines were identified in Council’s Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategy (CHAS) as a key action for enhanced coastal management.
The CHAS, adopted in 2021, includes recommended actions to help Council, property owners and other stakeholders adapt and respond to coastal hazards.
“Erosion, storm surge and tidal inundation are all a risk for low-lying coastal areas in Redland City and pose a significant threat to the health of the marine environment,” Cr Talty said.
“The community made it clear during consultation on the CHAS that they wanted to see more natural methods adopted to protect our more than 335 kilometres of Redland City coastline.
“Piloting a living shoreline is just one of many ways we are delivering on this goal while also protecting the environmental, social, cultural and economic values that these areas hold for our community.
“The CHAS also identifies Redland Bay and Russell Island as locations that could benefit from living shorelines in the future, pending the outcomes and success of the trial projects.”
Division 10 Cr Paul Bishop said the living shoreline would contribute to the long-term health of the marine environment.
“The Three Paddocks Park site will use a mix of vegetation such as mangrove and salt marsh plants as well as hardwood logjams and reef walls to help protect against hazards and improve amenity outcomes,” Cr Bishop said.
“The trial will also test the feasibility of the design, maintenance requirements, and construction techniques to inform future living shoreline projects, including a second trial which is already funded and scheduled to be rolled out in another part of the city later this year.
“In discussion with Division 1 Councillor, Wendy Boglary, whose boundary adjoins this area, we are glad that Three Paddocks Park has been prioritised for this work and look forward to the site being established.”
Cr Boglary said Redlands Coast was known for its natural environment and had internationally recognised foreshores that needed to be protected.
“Due to climatic influences, erosion in this area has increased and I have worked with officers to find a solution,” Cr Boglary said.
“Living foreshores is a wonderful, less invasive initiative that will enhance the area while also protecting migratory shorebirds and marine animals such as turtles.
“The area is also valued by locals for walks and recreational activities, so there will be a range of benefits delivered for the community as part of this project.”
Construction of the living shoreline at Three Paddocks Park is expected to be finalised in July 2025.
This project is being delivered under the QCoast2100 program, funded by the Queensland Government and delivered by the Local Government Association of Queensland.
For more information about living shorelines, visit Living Shorelines | Redland City Council.
