Bluff Point Coastal Processes and Erosion
Bluff Point’s coastline is shaped by natural processes where sand moves along the shore due to wind and wave activity. While this movement occurs in both directions, the overall sand transport direction is northward.
Sources of sand replenishing at Bluff Point
Sand reaching Bluff Point comes from two key sources:
- Sediment movement along the coastline due to natural wind and wave action from shorelines to the south in a generally northwards direction.
- Geraldton Port Bypassing: A managed process that manually moves sand from Pages Beach to the northern side of Midalias Beach to maintain sediment flow.
Erosion at Bluff Point
The City’s Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Plan (CHRMAP) and accompanying studies estimate that Bluff Point’s shoreline is eroding at a rate of up to 1 metre per year, with an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 cubic metres of sand being lost annually.
Erosion is expected to continue, and potentially accelerate, in the future due to:
- Sea level rise
- Climate Change
- Changes in coastal processes, including winds, waves and storms
Why take action?
The City’s CHRMAP identified significant state, local government and private assets at risk from erosion between now and 2030.
