By late June the rock seawall at Buffalo Beach will be completed and work on a sandbag backstop at Brophy's Beach will begin.

The Thames-Coromandel District Council says the two protection walls being constructed at the Whitianga beaches are to protect roads, residential properties and to prevent costal erosion.

The rock seawall extension at Buffalo Beach. Photo: TCDC

Mercury Bay area manager Sam Marshall says the strength of a rock wall was needed as the beach conditions can be quite severe.

The rock seawall extension at Buffalo Beach will be 115m long and comes at a cost of $375,000.

In the Long Term Plan $520,000 has been set aside to provide further protection at the end of the wall currently being built, to the dune planting area.

'We'll be investigating the best option for protection,” says Sam, 'but it is likely to be either a rock wall or an extension of the existing dune planting system.”

Late in 2013 council also completed an extension to the NZTA seawall on Buffalo Beach. This was also a rock backstop wall, which has helped protect the public toilet block and Buffalo Beach Road.

It also completed a pedestrian/cycle path along this section which connects the public toilets to the Albert Street intersection.

'We were extremely fortunate to have artist Michael Smither contribute to the design of the footpath with his stingray designs which are embedded in the concrete.”

Sand dredged by Whitianga Marina which will be used for the sandbag backstop wall at Brophy's Beach. Photo: TCDC

While at Brophy's Beach a geosynthetic container (sandbag) backstop wall will be installed which will be 530m long and cost $862,000.

This work will start late June and will also see the realignment of the wastewater pipeline.

'A sand bag wall is appropriate here because the sea conditions are conducive to this style of backstop erosion protection and aren't as severe as at Buffalo Beach,” explains Sam. 'Plus there's a greater distance of sand dune between the beach, the road and private properties.”

Once the wall is finished it will be covered with sand to create a dune effect with planting. The wall won't be visible and will act as a backstop in the event the covering sand is washed away.

Sand dredged by Whitianga Marina (approx. 3,000 m2) is on site with 1,500m2 used to fill the sand bags and the remaining 1,500m2 to cover the bags and replenish the beach.

Two years ago a coastal management action plan was developed for the Mercury Bay Area and was devised with the help of a Coastal Erosion Action Group.

This group is made up of council, Waikato Regional Council affected property owners, Ngati Hei and well-known New Zealand artist Michael Smither plus local elected members.

Working with the Community Board and staff the group finalised the Action Plan which refines previous reports written in the last 30 years into a concise summary.

It contains specific actions for each section of the coast from the waterways entrance to Stormont Lane, Brophy's Beach.

The Plan developed short, medium and long-term management options for each of the specific areas of vulnerable coastline along with a proposed timing of the works and the estimated cost of each works.

For more information visit: www.tcdc.govt.nz/coastalmanagement