Cairns Council moves to combat Holloways Beach erosion

Cairns Regional Council has advised that tonnes of sand will be trucked into Holloways Beach this week to help mitigate foreshore erosion that has been exacerbated by recent high winds and associated tidal conditions.

As part of an urgent response by the Council, 600 tonnes of sand will be brought in later this week and placed at the worst hit locations.

Cairns Councillor Rhonda Coghlan said this would mean more than 5,000 metre³ of sand had been trucked onto Holloways Beach, located 12 kilometres north of the Cairns CBD, in the past eight weeks, advising “Council is very much aware of the situation and is working to protect the foreshore.

“Erosion remains a concern at Holloways Beach and it is hoped the adoption of the latest strategy, which included the installation of two 30-metre groynes, will provide the necessary protection to the foreshore.

Advising that Cairns Regional Council adopted an erosion management strategy last September to undertake minor sand nourishment, install two rock groynes and finally undertake large scale sand nourishment works, Councillor Coghlan explained “combating erosion along a beach foreshore is challenging; a few years back Council spent over $600,000 on sand nourishment at Holloways Beach, only to have this sand washed away in weeks.

“That is why the building and installation of the groynes prior to any major sand nourishment was an imperative.

“Now that they are in place, you can see the groynes are doing their job and holding the sand on the southern end of the beach.”

Councillor Coghlan said that a contract for the delivery of 20,000 to 30,000 metre³ of sand will be put to Council at the end of this month, adding “I would expect those major sand nourishment works will take place before the end of the year, weather permitting.

“On top of that, Council will also consider installing more groynes towards the north end of the beach.”

The Council will also be temporarily removing a commemorative bench, dedicated Billie Cruickshank, which is in danger of being damaged due to the recent erosion events.

The bench will be stored and then relocated to a more appropriate relocation, which is less subject to erosion.

Image of Holloways Beach courtesy of Tourism Events Queensland.