Know your beaches! Adjunct A/Prof Peter Waterman University of the Sunshine Coast

The Brief and What is Going to Be Covered I have been asked to talk on: On coastal processes and the coastal environment generally, and on Bribie Island and Woorim Beach in particular. If time permits, touch briefly on the overarching policy and legislation

THE MORPHODYNAMIC SYSTEM PROCESSES SEDIMENTS LANDFORMS Morphodynamic processes refer to the mutual interaction between morphology with hydrodynamic processes involving the motion of sediment (Wright and Short 1977) In a morphodynamic system there is close coupling and feedback between processes, sediments and form, such that cause and effect are difficult to separate. PROCESSES SEDIMENTS LANDFORMS Character (size, shape, mineralogy, settling velocity); Sediment budgets (source, transport mechanisms, sinks) Climatology (weather, climate); Oceanography (tides, waves, currents); Hydrology (river discharge & flooding) Rocky coasts (cliffs, beach rock); Barriers ( beaches, dunes); Estuaries; Deltas; Coastal plains; Marshes

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES SIMILAR PHYSICS – DIFFERENT SCALE, MANAGEMENT & MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS ATMOSPHERIC & OCEANOGRAPHIC ENGINES SANDY BEACHES What beach is that?

Location, climate, geology, landscape, biological province Nominal Scale 1: : : : Location, climate, large landforms, bathymetry, hydrology, primary biotopes Location, geology, geomorphology, physico-chemical and biological features, jurisdictional areas, secondary biotopes Location, geology, geomorphology, coastal dynamics, physico-chemical and biological features (ecological character), habitats, biological facies, jurisdictional areas, land tenure, land use, management issues, environmental hazard and risk Level 2 Level 4 Secondary Sediment Cell Level 1 Primary Secondary Level 3 Tertiary Primary Cell Basic information (core data) requirements Hierarchical Level

Landform Components Extent in Local Area & Region Key Processes Dunes & Beach Ridges (b) Vegetated dunes Dunes overly a lithified barrier along the northern shore of Saddler Hill promontory Severe weather conditions Storm ridge (bar) (b) Vegetated ridge High dune ridges with lithified cores are apparent in the vicinity of Cape Latouche Treville. The interdunal swales include an Aboriginal burial site. Tropical cyclones. Cheniers (b) Lithified – coastal wetlands (e) Unconsolidated: mangal & wetlands to landward Lithified and unconsolidated chenier spits extend into Port Smith Longshore and tidal currents; extreme winds and waves; and storm surge Mud Flats & Tidal Creeks (c) Tidal creek - vegetated distributaries Port Smith is part of a larger tidal creek and wetland complex extending from False Cape Bossut to Port Tropical cyclones, sea level fluctuation and storm surge. Stream Mouths Permanently Open (b) Drains mangrove wetlands Tidal creeks in Port Smith drain mangrove wetlands and vegetated mudflats. Extreme winds and waves; Storm surge Application of National Committee on Coastal and Ocean Engineering (NCCOE) 2004 to coastal landforms

COASTAL COMPARTMENTS Geologic & Geomorphologic Structures COASTAL & OCEANOGRAPHIC PROCESSES Terrestrial & Marine DRIVERS FRAMEWORKS BIOTIC COMPONENTS & RESOURCES Habitat description; including physico-chemical components Delineation of ecosystem components appropriate to State Waters Species presence, abundance and distribution Biodiversity; natural resource identification and conservation Biotic communities Community distribution and abundance; key areas of bioproduction Ecosystem function Ecosystem responses to observed and projected environmental change Biotic ecosystem services Natural resource production & sustainability, eg biotic sediment production PLANNING & MANAGEMENT Conservation & ecosystem sustainability Policy review; assessment of CAR principles; Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management Identification of key habitats such as nursery areas for fish protection Ecosystem function Internal maintenance of a sustainable ecosystem Socio-economic ecosystem services Community health & well being; recreation & tourism; fisheries sustainability Hazard and risk assessment: susceptibility to change Delineation of appropriate models for VA analyses eg mangrove migration Development of a physical framework for identification and management of coastal and marine resources within State Waters

THANKS Thanks for your attention