Commenting on the story: Popular Adelaide beach disappearing under review tide

The sad thing about the beach loss is that it was predicted by experts in the 1990s who said the West Beach harbour would be an environmental disaster for the coastline north of the harbour.

Given this advice, the Western Adelaide Coastal Residents Association (WACRA) ran a campaign which included blocking access to the site where the West Beach Boat Harbour was being built. I was one of many who joined the picket line and there was much anger when the police dragged us away on many days.

Despite this community warning and protest, the then government went ahead with the artificial harbour against scientific advice. This advice predicted the loss of beaches to the north of the harbour, and their predictions have proved correct.

Immediate action and a long term plan are required urgently. While the Henley Beach issue is a man made problem, it will be exacerbated by the sea level rise climate change will bring. On both fronts, mitigation and adaptation are required. – Fran Baum

I was in Parliament house the evening that then Democrat MP Mike Elliott read the environmental impact study on the West Beach Marina development to an almost empty house.

What is happening now at Henley Beach was one of the reasons given for not proceeding with the development. However, it was clear by their lack of attendance that the then state government had already made up its mind, the environmental impact findings were ignored and the development went ahead.

Since then, as was predicted, all neighbouring beaches along the Adelaide coast have been adversely effected by the marina breakwaters interrupting water flows and changing the way sand is deposited and washed away. The economical and environmental cost to the state of this avoidable situation has been massive because constant sand carting and pumping activities have been necessary to try and mitigate this.

The quality of life for residents and beach users is also adversely affected by ever present heavy machinery and trucks on our beaches and coastal roads. It is hoped that the current review will consider removing the white elephant West Beach marina and restoring the coast to a more natural state.

I doubt it would be a more expensive solution than sand carting into the next century or compensating people when their beachfront houses wash away. – Anna Mycko

If they take sand from Semaphore and Largs, our beaches will look like yours do now. as they did last year when they took sand and carted it south.

Our walkways were closed big drop offs from walkways that were open. Robbing Peter of sand for Paul is not the answer. – Luke Caldwell

I’m a daily beach walker on the Largs North/Bay beaches and at high tide there’s barely beach to walk on here, either.

Sand mining hasn’t happened for some time now and the beach is still not recovered. Digging was so extensive that the smelly black sub beach sand has been exposed, it’s always boggy and there’s massive trenches that were never there in earlier times.

West and Henley beaches may need more sand, but stealing it from northern beaches is not the answer. The sand is way too fine and is washed away in a matter of days, leaving them in the same state they were in before the sand mining. Meanwhile, it does not come back to the northern beaches but instead clogs Outer Harbor.

There are real environmental issues with taking sand from the northern beaches also. There are better, and long term solutions out there. Save Our Shores Semaphore has a Facebook page and often hold seminars to educate on these matters, if only the powers that be listen.

Semaphore, Largs Bay and North beaches are also popular and do not deserve to be ruined for beaches in more affluent areas. – Rebecca Gogovcev

There has been no sand provided to Henley South for nearly four years. Prior to 2018/2019 an average of 20,000 cubic metres of sand was forward passed by truck annually from the Torrens outlet hydrodynamic groyne to Henley South.

In contrast, in the past four years, over 525,000 cubic metres have been delivered onto West Beach. International examples of placing sand onto a beach for renourishment have documented evidence of common erosion problems in the adjoining beaches up-drift. This is amplified when a hydrodynamic groyne like the Torrens outlet creates a shadow zone for usual longshore drift.

Why was the usual forward passing of sand from the Torrens outlet onto Henley South ceased during the former government’s reign and has still not recommenced? – Geoff Wood

Groynes. Groynes. Groynes. – Ian Bancroft