Eurobodalla Shire Council’s divisional manager strategy and sustainability Vivian Shaw co-authored the draft Batemans Bay Master Plan. Photo: Eurobodalla Shire Council.
Two speakers at Eurobodalla Shire Council’s public access meeting criticised council’s draft Batemans Bay Master Plan (BBMP) and the process. Another outlined a potential solution to ease congestion in Moruya that would allay people’s fears about emergency access during holiday times.
Dr Brett Stevenson, co-convenor of A Better Eurobodalla (ABE), has a PhD in coastal processes. He addressed councillors on Tuesday (14 October) about last month’s release of Australia’s National Climate Risk Assessment (NCRA).
It details how climate change will affect Australia’s health, infrastructure, economy and environment. It focuses on 11 priority national climate risks and warns of increasing hazards including extreme storms, heatwaves and sea-level rise, which lead to significant economic costs and impacts on communities and ecosystems.
The NCRA identified four priority hazards applicable to Batemans Bay.
These are coastal erosion and shoreline change; coastal and estuarine flooding; riverine and flash flooding; and bushfires.
“Batemans Bay is a low-lying swampy area on an exposed coastal site located at the mouth of the Clyde River, a major riverine system,” Dr Stevenson said.
“It is exposed to hazards of both coastal inundation from oceanic storm surge and sea level rise, as well as riverine flooding, together with coastal erosion and shore change. These impacts can occur simultaneously, increasing the magnitude of the resultant inundation at Batemans Bay.”
Five key Gateway and Landmark sites in the draft Batemans Bay Master Plan. Photo: Eurobodalla Shire Council website.
The NCRA said exposure to risks from sea level rise was increased in coastal areas with high population density, residential buildings near soft shorelines, and erosion due to higher sea levels and shoreline characteristics.
Dr Stevenson said this mirrored the BBMP’s proposed multiple high-rise residential buildings containing an additional 8000 dwellings being constructed on a low-lying coastal area already experiencing coastal erosion and retreat.
The NCRA also indicated that present-day extremes and flood events would become increasingly frequent and eventually chronic under potential sea rise in the 21st century.
Dr Stevenson said the current serious coastal erosion at Caseys Beach and Surfside highlighted the problem created when urban development was located on vulnerable sites.
“If implemented, the long-term costs of the draft BBMP would make the cost of coastal protection works at Surfside look minuscule,” he said. “These costs would be borne by Eurobodalla ratepayers and NSW taxpayers.”
Furthermore, insurance would become either unavailable or unaffordable to residents and businesses in such areas.
Dr Stevenson said given the significant risks the NCRA highlighted, ABE considered the draft BBMP’s deficiencies must be addressed now in an integrated manner via best practice strategic planning, including incorporating community engagement from the outset.
He urged council to suspend work on the BBMP until the full implications of the NCRA have been assessed and to have Australian Climate Services staff brief councillors and interested ratepayers on the NCRA via video conference.
“This would assist councillors, council staff, ratepayers and taxpayers to be fully informed of the risks, hazards and cost implications for the BBMP,” Dr Stevenson said.
The proposed Moruya bypass remains unfunded. Photo: Transport for NSW.
Bingie resident Cid Mateo said council’s draft Housing Strategy presented to the community in 2024 appeared to have been drafted to support the existing draft BBMP that was presented to the community in 2025.
“This has put the planning cart before the housing horse. It should be the other way around,” Mr Mateo said.
Secondly, council had largely ignored 2015 community consultation to inform the housing strategy and improve the twin local issues of housing affordability and lack of diversity in housing options.
Thirdly, council seemingly ignored the November 2023 comprehensive research and analysis by Judith Stubbs and Associates that council had commissioned.
To get the Housing Strategy and BBMP back on track, Mr Mateo said the probity report into the BBMP should inform a revised Housing Strategy. That in turn should inform the BBMP and other town plans.
“This follows best practice planning guidance provided by the NSW Government,” he said.
Mr Mateo also suggested a Housing and Planning Steering Committee with representatives from all housing and planning stakeholders in the community to guide next steps.
Earlier Frank Ross suggested that council make representations to Transport for NSW for emergency traffic lights at the corner of Shore St and at the corner of North Head Drive during busy holiday periods to clear the bridge when needed for fire trucks and for ambulances to get patients to Moruya Hospital. Councillors Colleen Turner and Sharon Winslade will follow up.
