Coastal Communities Protect Alliance – Wooli (CCPA). Following the council proposal of Planned Retreat, Wooli community formed the Coastal Communities Protection Alliance-Wooli, with the aim of working together to find a better solution and to liaise with fellow coastal communities under similar threat from inadequate government response to coastal erosion issues. CCPA-Wooli is an alliance committed to changing attitudes of all levels of government to coastal communities threatened erosion and degradation of beach environments. We believe that decisions on the future of our communties must recognise social, economic and environmental consequences and that they must be based on extensive, open-minded and ongoing community consultation and diligent, best-practice research and planning that includes options to abandonment of these communities. We believe that Wooli can be a test case of a community working towards well researched and intelligent adaptation to coastal erosion and climate change. CCPA’s main objectives are intended to capture these fundamental intentions.
Who would be affected?
All of Wooli, both north and south, would be affected by CVC’s policy as population, land values, homes, businesses, services and tourist revenue from the southern end of Wooli would be a loss to the whole community.
Why Coastal Communities?
Communities up and down the NSW coast are being affected by the government’s policies on climate change. As a small village, we would have limited influence as an alliance, albeit a loose amalgamation of communities with individually different problems,we would have a louder voice and more likelihood of influencing these policies. We want to join with these communities to work with councils and government to come up with solutions to the problem.
What have we done so far?
We have raised our voice in the media. Grafton Daily Examiner and Clarence Valley Review have published ongoing coverage of our campaign, and numerous regional radio and TV interviews have been aired. We believe this coverage was influential in the deferment of council’s decision on planned retreat.
We have collected around 1500 petition signatures opposing planned retreat. To date, the petition has not been presented, but is a powerful potential weapon of persuasion.
We have commissioned a preliminary study of Wooli beach processes from ASR, an international consultancy specialising in coastal erosion solutions.
We have put together an impressive Position Paper which was presented to council and state government.
We have put pressure on council to re-start the Dunecare program and this group is now actively engaged in dune regeneration.
We have had meetings at state government level with Minister Robyn Parker.
We were represented at the coastal erosion workshop at Ballina in November.
We have established a dialogue with members of CVC staff and markedly improved the consultation level.
We are in the process of starting research into beach processes in conjunction with CVC.
We are putting pressure on CVC and state government to provide adequate funding for the first stages of this research.
We have established and maintained links with other hotspots.
Why all this activity?
These days a well-planned campaign which looks at many different aspects and involves a large number of people is required to convince councils and government to change their direction.
A small village on the Clarence coast of NSW, Wooli is uniquely situated on a river in the middle of almost 60 km of pristine coastline protected by Yuraygir National Park. Set midway between the booming coastal regions of Yamba and Coffs Harbour, Wooli has managed to maintain a quiet, laid-back coastal charm long lost to development elsewhere. Once the centre of a thriving fishing industry, and long a favourite holiday destination for families, fishermen, surfers, and people who just love its unique natural environment, Wooli is an important ecological and economic asset to the Clarence region. The future of Wooli is important not just to those that know and love it, but to coastal communities everywhere as a precedent and benchmark for the way that we plan for our shared future. To better appreciate its natural beauty and character you can See Wooli in pictures. Hopefully this will help you understand why we are so committed to protecting this unique environment, village and population.
WHAT IS THREATENING WOOLI?
Wooli is one of 15 locations in NSW designated as “hotspots” due to the risk of a forecast increase in coastal erosion. This raised two major threats to Wooli between 2010 and 2015. Firstly, a plan to abandon the village and secondly, no strategy to protect the beach. During that period the Wooli community (represented largely by CCPA-Wooli)worked diligently with the Clarence Valley Council to overcome these threats. In June 2015 this effort produced a new Coastal Zone Management Plan which aims to drive a sustainable protection programme for Wooli beach based on a Beach Nourishment Strategy. This much improved situation is temporary however until the new plan and its requisite funding are approved by the NSW state government
HOW YOU CAN HELP WOOLI?
You have already started to help by visiting our website and understanding the situation facing Wooli. Here are other easy ways you can make a difference in protecting Wooli.
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