Research Finds Councils Need Help To Cope With Sea Change

The report titled Meeting the Sea Change Challenge, was undertaken for the National Sea Change Taskforce. It recommends a national planning framework to lead coastal policy and to establish strategic responses to population growth in coastal regions.

Dr Nicole Gurran, one of the authors of the report, said coastal communities both in Australia and around the world are struggling to plan for rapid population growth driven by migration from capital cities and other areas.

She said the research had identified five broad types of sea change communities:

• Coastal cities – substantial urban centres beyond the State capitals with populations greater than 100,000 e.g. Cairns, the Gold Coast and Maroochy (QLD) and Greater Geelong (VIC);
• Coastal commuters – suburbanised satellite communities at the edges of capital cities e.g. Gosford and Wyong (NSW), Pine Rivers and Caboolture (QLD), Wanneroo, Mandurah and Rockingham (WA) and Onkaparinga (SA);
• Coastal getaways – small to medium coastal towns within three hours drive of a capital city e.g. Busselton (WA), Bass and Surf Coasts (VIC) and Victor Harbor (SA)
• Coastal lifestyle destinations – Communities more than three hours drive from a capital city with a tourism and leisure focus e.g. Coffs Harbour and Byron (NSW) Whitsunday (QLD) and Moyne (VIC)
• Coastal hamlets – Small, remote coastal communities often surrounded by protected natural areas e.g. Robe and Grant (SA), Augusta-Margaret River (WA) and Douglas (QLD)

The research found that rapid development in each of these areas poses a threat to sensitive coastal environments and has profound social implications.

Dr Gurran said the research found retirees were contributing to the sea change phenomenon but were no longer the major drivers of coastal population growth. “New residents of high growth coastal regions represent a younger age profile than Australia as a whole and are significantly younger than the existing communities affected by sea change,” she said.

“Housing affordability is the main factor affecting the decisions of low income earners and income support recipients to move to non-metropolitan areas.”

The report finds that development activity in coastal areas is not translating into long-term economic gains despite increasing population growth. “This is because growth in sea change areas is generally associated with lower paid jobs and frequently, these jobs are part time and subject to seasonal fluctuations,” she said.

Dr Gurran said some coastal areas outside metropolitan cities are characterised by high levels of unemployment, low incomes and socio-economic disadvantage.

She said further research is needed to assist coastal communities respond to rapid change, while preserving and enhancing local character, social capital and environmental integrity.

“For instance, little is known about the effect of gentrification on non metropolitan settings and research should focus on designing environmentally sensitive growth management strategies that do not lead to the displacement of lower income residents,” she said.

Dr Gurran said suitable planning models for coastal regions had already been developed in the UK, US and Europe and these could be adapted to the needs of Australian coastal communities.

She said the next phase of research would be aimed at identifying national and international models of best practice in managing growth in these sensitive environmental settings.

Taskforce member City of Mandurah Deputy Mayor Don Pember attended the recent taskforce meeting in Gosford where the University of New South Wales draft report and developer contributions said the research showed that sea change growth is a national issue requiring a coordinated response from all spheres of Government.

“There is an urgent need for a coordinated national approach to addressing the sea change phenomenon,” Cr Pember said. “This needs to be developed collaboratively between local, State and Federal Governments.

“Current methods of planning, funding and managing rapid population and tourism growth in coastal areas are inconsistent and inadequate.”

Cr Pember said the National Sea Change Taskforce is seeking better ways to manage coastal growth and is developing submissions to State and Federal Governments proposing establishment of specific portfolios to manage and coordinate development in coastal areas.

“The Queensland Government has established the Office of Urban Management to manage and coordinate growth in the south-east corner of the State. We believe similar portfolios could be established in other States.”

The research findings are in line with a survey of coastal councils by the Australian Local Government Association released yesterday.

Further information Contact:

Alan Stokes – National Sea Change Taskforce  0411 592 269