The draft Extended Stockton CMP identifies coastal management risks like erosion and sea level rise, and the actions required to address these risks in a strategic and integrated way, as well as how and when these actions are to be implemented, their costs, and the proposed cost-sharing arrangements and other viable funding mechanisms for their implementation.

The intention of the Extended Stockton CMP is to ensure Stockton’s coastal area is protected, enhanced and resilient, and that beach amenity, recreational uses and the sense of identity that our coastline provides our community is maintained. The 2020 Stockon CMP established the need for mass sand nourishment, but did not include a pathway for delivery. The draft Extended CMP contains a list of management actions to establish a holistic and integrated program for the funding and maintenance of mass sand nourishment, to buffer the impacts of erosion and preserve the coastline adjacent to the suburb of Stockton for future generations. This includes an ongoing program of sand top-ups, which was identified as the community's preferred complementary management scheme in December 2021.

Sand top-ups were identified as the best choice to support mass nourishment for Stockton as they replicate the natural sand supply, are more cost effective than built structures, are adaptable to conditions and maintain the identity of the area.

The Extended Stockton CMP will simultaneously plan for and deliver on the urgent protection of critical public assets in Stockton, identified as at risk in the interim period ahead of mass sand nourishment.

It also broadens the geographical area covered by the 2020 Stockton CMP, to include complementary actions for the northern end of Stockton Beach from Meredith Street to the Newcastle - Port Stephens Local Government Area boundary.

The complementary actions featured in the draft Extended Stockton CMP are intended to maximise the benefits of mass sand nourishment across the larger geographic area, such as respecting the cultural heritage of the area and ensuring ongoing recreational use remains viable.

The Stockton Beach Repair Blueprint outlines that the NSW Government will provide project governance and management, proactive communication and engagement, and a targeted monitoring program for the duration of its $21 million funding commitment for the five key phases of the Stockton Beach Repair Project.

Funding and the NSW Government public authority responsibility for the implementation of seven sand nourishment actions within the draft Extended Stockton CMP has not been confirmed. Based on the coastal erosion impacts experienced at Stockton Beach as a result of the NSW Government-owned breakwater and deepwater navigation channel of the Port of Newcastle, we're seeking a commitment from the NSW Government to deliver on their $21 million election commitment from 2023 and to take the lead on a number of sand nourishment related actions that will ensure a holistic and integrated management approach and the seamless delivery and maintenance of mass sand nourishment. These actions include:

• Investigating the establishment of a funding and governance framework to support the delivery of sand top-ups
• Coastal monitoring and the development of a decision-making support tool to inform ongoing sand placement
• Integration of opportunistic sand sources, including the reinstatement of the previously NSW Government-owned approvals to enable sand placement from Port of Newcastle maintenance dredging

The NSW Government is also responsible for the delivery of the Coastal and Estuarine Risk Mitigation Program (CERMP) funded by the Australian Government and City of Newcastle. This program involves the provision of amenity sand nourishment (completed in November 2023), and the progression of feasibility investigations, design work and environmental assessments and approvals for identified sand sources from the North Arm of the Hunter River and offshore marine areas for mass nourishment. This will support both mass nourishment and sand top-up quantities to meet the larger, longer-term requirements to offset the underlying sand losses caused by the Newcastle Harbour infrastructure and forecasted sea level rise.

The NSW Government is earmarked to contribute approximately $35 million, which includes its $21.5 million election commitment for mass sand nourishment, however this is not scheduled to occur until the 2027/28 and 2028/29 financial years.

The Extended Stockton Coastal Management Program was endorsed by Council at the August Ordinary Council Meeting and has now been submitted to the NSW Environment Minister for certification.

November 2025

The Extended Stockton Coastal Management Program (CMP) has been certificated by the NSW Minister for the Environment, a major step forward in our long-term plan to protect and enhance Stockton’s coastline.

This marks the second certified CMP for Stockton, with the first iteration receiving certification back in 2020, during an incredibly tumultuous time. That certification was a first for NSW, and we’re proud to have built on that foundation, applying the lessons learned to develop this more comprehensive 10-year program with an expanded geographical footprint. The Extended Stockton CMP broadens the area covered to include the northern end of Stockton Beach from Meredith Street to the Port Stephens Local Government Area (LGA) boundary.

This 10-year CMP is our roadmap to a more resilient coastline. It confirms the strategy overwhelmingly supported by the community, namely mass sand nourishment supported by regular sand top-ups, which is vital to re-establish a sand buffer, restore amenity, and protect critical public assets under immediate threat.

Key details within the Extended Stockton are:

• Mass nourishment: aimed at delivering approximately 2.4 million m³ of sand to restore the sandy beach, translating to an estimated average increase in beach width of about 40m.

• Ongoing sand top-ups: designed to maintain the restored beach.

This long-term strategy is necessary to offset the impacts caused by the NSW Government-owned Newcastle Harbour infrastructure, including the entrance breakwaters and the artificially deepened navigation channel.

We look forward to working with the NSW Government through the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) who will take the lead role in the delivery of mass sand nourishment and the investigation into a governance, funding and implementation framework to support ongoing sand top-ups.

The mass sand nourishment component is secured by a $21.5 million commitment from the NSW Government, which was confirmed in the 2025-26 State Budget. The majority of this funding is scheduled for expenditure in 2027/28 and 2028/29.

Due to the complex nature and long lead times associated with mass sand nourishment the CMP also includes actions to deliver urgent works, such as interim coastal protection structures, required to protect critical public assets in the short term (1-5 years). Since the Stockton CMP was certified in 2020, CN has already invested over $16.5 million in the management, protection and remediation of the coastline.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the development of this CMP. Your voice ensures a safer, and better future for Stockton Beach.

We’ve made important updates to the Extended Stockton Coastal Management Program (CMP) in response to community feedback.

Every action in the CMP now has a nominated lead authority responsible for delivery, along with an identified funding framework. This ensures the CMP presents a long-term strategy to offset the impacts of the NSW-Government owned infrastructure and support the transition from the initial mass nourishment to ongoing sand top-ups.

On top of leading the investigation and delivery of mass sand nourishment, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has formally agreed to take responsibility for two more actions:

BN3B: Ongoing sand top-ups

• Action: Work collaboratively with the Stockton Special Advisory Panel to investigate and determine a governance, funding and implementation framework for ongoing sand top-ups that incorporates the key learnings from the CERMP project and the Stockton Beach Repair Project, with consideration of mixed sediment placement and opportunistic sand sources.
• Goal: Establish a clear and approved pathway for ongoing sand supply, drawing on lessons from recent projects like CERMP and the Stockton Beach Repair Project.

BN5B: Monitoring and decision-support system

• Action: Develop and implement coastal monitoring and decision-support system to inform sand and beach management.
• Goal: Provide reliable data to guide sand placement and flag when the beach buffer falls below target levels.

The Stockton Special Advisory Panel (SSAP), chaired by the State Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthrope, will continue to bring together the Minister for the Environment, local stakeholders and experts to oversee investigations, mass nourishment delivery and timing, and the shift to long-term monitoring and maintenance.

We’ve also strengthened and clarified the CMP in several areas:

• Added detail on the options evaluation process, showing how artificial reefs, groynes and offshore breakwaters were considered. The evaluation process confirmed mass sand nourishment with ongoing top-ups as the most viable approach. (See Supporting Docs E & F for details.)
• Strengthened links with environmental planning instruments, including the Resilience and Hazards SEPP, Newcastle’s Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plan.
• Clarified the nature and timing of proposed coastal protection works.
• Recognised beach nourishment and dune works as coastal protection measures.
• Improved the communication of integrated environmental and cultural heritage considerations.
• Clarified how climate change, sea level rise, storm patterns and past human impacts were factored into planning.
• Updated the Stockton Coastal Zone Emergency Action Subplan to better define emergency coastal protection works.
• Noted that the Stockton Holiday Park Masterplan process will consider erosion projections to safeguard assets.
• Identified further work needed to refine emergency responses to coastal inundation events.
• Made minor wording updates for improved readability.