The first stage of the North Beach seawall project provided seating and protection from coastal erosion. Photo: Wollongong City Council.
Wollongong Council is making an early start on preparations for stage two of the North Beach seawall.
Although construction is not expected to start until 2026, council is taking advantage of fewer people on the beach during winter to undertake the preliminary works.
The work, which is expected to take about four weeks, will involve driving screw piles into the ground below the sand. Once finished, the piles will be below surface level and covered by sand.
It will confirm the depth to bedrock and the design of the piling, which will allow council to wrap up the final design for the seawall works and help to fast-track the project once construction starts.
Stage two of the seawall will extend from the southern side of the recently completed works through to the North Beach Bathers Pavilion.
The new fit-for-purpose seawall will help protect the precinct from coastal erosion and the impacts of climate change.
Council’s Acting Director for Infrastructure and Works Paul Tracey said although construction work won’t start until 2026 after the peak summer period, carrying out the work now would only cause minimal disruption.
“By doing this now, we can get useful information about the depth and make-up of the ground under the sand and incorporate this into our planning for the project,” he said.
“It’s not unusual for council to break large projects into multiple stages like this. By staging our works, we’re able to move from one key project to another.
“We know this space is really loved by our community as well as visitors to our city. A small amount of disruption now will set us in good stead for when the project starts in earnest in 2026.’’
Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery said the first stage of the seawall, which opened last December, had become an asset to the beach.
“Not only has it improved accessibility to the beach and provided seating, it has also met its overarching function, which is to protect the foreshore and renovated surf club building from challenging sea conditions and coastal erosion,” he said.
Access to North Wollongong Beach will remain open while the work is underway.
Council is planning to go to tender for stage two of the project in 2025.
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