Port Beach Erosion Study Historic Influences on a Modern Shoreline

Port Beach is a popular metropolitan beach immediately north of the Port of Fremantle, Western Australia. Development is located close to the shoreline. In May 2003 severe beach erosion was evident at the site where a new access road to the Port will be realigned closer to the shoreline in 2005. This storm highlighted concerns that the shoreline was undergoing a longer-term erosive trend. Historic charts from the construction of the Fremantle Inner Harbour in the 1890's were used to demonstrate the influence of dredging and reclamation works during the last century on the shoreline. This indicated that dredge material placed offshore sustained a long period of accretion at Port Beach by providing an artificial supply of sand to the beach. This sand feed has now stopped and the shoreline is eroding. An appreciation of this history has helped the coastal managers develop a cooperative working relationship for the ongoing management of the beach.