The Effect of Engineering Dynamics of the Coastal Zone upon Industry

The use of shipping for the movement of large quantities of raw materials is almost mandatory, from a cost viewpoint, when it is realised that most major industrial undertakings are located at or near the Australian seaboard. The east coast of Australia is subject to fairly rapid weather changes, particularly in southern latitudes. This necessitates the use of protective harbours which are costly to provide and maintain, since natural harbours like Sydney are very few in number. Further, the long fetch across the Pacific with no natural bar can result in significant wave sizes on the coast, which have been caused by adverse weather well off shore. To a limited extent some protection is given at Port Kembla by the Five Islands. Sydney is unique, as far as our part of the World is concerned, inasmuch as it combines deep water, a low rate of siltation and many branches off its main laterial east-west channel for the installation of wharves. Although it is sometimes thought that large bays with an unrestricted access to the ocean make suitable harbours, the need to load and discharge cargoes at wharves or jetties in calm water tends to render the bay with a large fetch, unattractive. Wharves and jetties need to be protected from wave action and the difference in berthing conditions in the outer and inner harbours of Port Kembla are good examples of undesirable and desirable berths respectively.