Palaszczuk Government funds more council projects to cope with climate change

The Queensland Government’s $12 million QCoast2100fund will assist another three local governments to help coastal communities prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Environment Minister Dr Steven Miles said today Townsville City Council, Douglas Shire Council and Livingstone Shire Council were all successful in their applications for funding, which is available to all coastal councils.

It brings the total number of councils to benefit from the fund so far to six, after Moreton Bay Regional Council, Noosa Shire Council and Whitsunday Regional Council also each submitted strong applications for a share of the funding.

“The Councils will now either commence or improve their Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategy for their area based on an assessment of the specific local conditions and challenges which they need to meet,” Dr Miles said.

“I encourage all other eligible councils to get on board and follow the lead in taking action on climate change.

"Coastal communities are already at risk from sea erosion and storm tide inundation and these will become a greater threat with rising sea levels from climate change," he said.

The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) is administering the QCoast2100program and helping eligible councils with proposals and preparation of their potential projects.

LGAQ President Mark Jamieson said the QCoast2100 program is designed to be accessible to coastal local governments irrespective of their current level of planning, capability and resourcing.

“More than half of Queensland’s 77 councils will be exposed to coastal hazards in the future,” he said.

“It’s vital that local governments work together to assess risks and identify practical solutions that will help coastal communities prepare for serious issues such as storm tide flooding, coastal erosion and sea level rise.

"In the past decade, natural disasters have caused billions of dollars in damage to local government assets alone," he said.

Dr Miles said the Palaszczuk Government was committed to ensuring communities were protected from coastal hazards.

“Townsville City Council was granted $430,000 to fund further development of their Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategy (CHAS). The focus of the project will be the coastal urban and growth areas of Townsville City," he said.

“The project will progress and refine the existing CHAS while aiming to have greater engagement with stakeholders and the community.

“Douglas Shire Council was granted $53,977 to focus on inundation mapping of the coastal settlements of Wangetti, Oak Beach to Pebbly Beach, Mowbray to Newell Beach (including Port Douglas), Rocky Point to Wonga Beach, Cape Kimberley, Thornton Beach and Cape Tribulation".

Dr Miles said Livingstone Shire Council was granted $68,288 to begin their CHAS. The project area covers 25 kilometres of coastline (including adjacent islands).

“Their priority areas are Kemp Beach, Putney Beach (Great Keppel Island), Kinka/Mulambin Beach, Farnborough Beach, Muskers/Zilzie Beach and Lammermoor Beach,” he said. 

ENDS

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