Shire of Northampton COASTAL STRATEGY Final – July 2006 The Western Australian Planning Commission through the Coastal Management Plan Assistance Program, a component of the Coastal Planning Program, provided funding to prepare this coastal strategy DOCUMENT CONTROL for office use only Author: Landvision & Shire of Northampton Responsible Officer: Principal Planner File No: 10.4.5.1 Council Adoption: Draft – October 2005, Agenda Item 6.2.1 Final – August 2006, Agenda Item 6.2.1 Shire of Northampton Coastal Strategy TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i - vii 1.0 INTRODUCTION 5 1.1 BACKGROUND 5 1.2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 5 1.3 STUDY AREA 5 1.4 PLANNING CONTEXT 6 1.4.1 Batavia Coast Strategy 6 1.5 CONSULTATION 6 2.0 COASTAL ENVIRONMENT 9 2.1 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 9 2.1.1 Climate 9 2.1.2 Coastline, Nearshore Landform and Soils 9 2.1.3 Hydrology 12 2.1.4 Vegetation 12 2.1.5 Site Stability and Erosion 13 2.1.6 Landscape and Amenity 14 2.1.7 Land Capability 15 2.2 BUILT AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT 15 2.2.1 Recreational Use Patterns 15 2.2.2 Boat Launching 17 2.2.3 Camping 18 2.2.4 Coastal Access 18 2.2.5 Coastal Management 19 3.0 HORROCKS 23 3.1 BUILT AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT 23 3.2 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 23 3.2.1 Coastline, Nearshore Landform and Soils 23 3.2.2 Vegetation 24 3.2.3 Site Stability and Erosion 24 3.2.4 Landscape and Amenity 25 3.3 ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES 26 3.4 PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 26 3.4.1 Revegetate Dune Face and Sign Post Beach Access at Glance Cove 27 3.4.2 Reshape and Revegetate Frontal Face 27 3.4.3 Form Sand-Trapping Dune by Boat Access 27 3.4.4 Close Entry off Glance Street 28 3.4.5 Redesign Southern Carpark 28 3.4.6 Restrict Vehicle Movements on the Beach 28 3.4.7 Plant Trees within Foreshore Area 28 3.4.8 Develop Southern Lookout and Pedestrian Link to Northern Lookout 29 4.0 LITTLE BAY 30 4.1 BUILT AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT 30 4.2 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 30 4.3 ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES 31 2 - 2 - Shire of Northampton Coastal Strategy 4.4 PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 31 4.4.1 Rationalise Access 31 4.4.2 Provide Access Track to the East and Provide for Boat Launching 32 4.4.3 Site Clean-up 32 4.4.4 Provide Designated Day Use Sites and Nodes for Dispersed Camping 32 4.4.5 Develop a Lookout 33 5.0 BOWES RIVER 34 5.1 BUILT AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT 34 5.2 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 34 5.3 ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES 34 5.4 PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 35 5.4.1 Reinstate Perimeter Fencing to Carpark and Revegetate Surrounding Area 35 5.4.2 Restrict Off-Road Vehicle Access 36 5.4.3 Seek Cooperation of Landowners to Restrict Grazing on Dunes 36 5.4.4 Construct Bird Watching Facilities 36 5.4.5 Long-Term Facilities 36 6.0 PORT GREGORY 37 6.1 BUILT AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT 37 6.2 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 37 6.2.1 Coastline, Nearshore Landform and Soils 37 6.2.2 Vegetation 38 6.2.3 Site Stability and Erosion 39 6.2.4 Landscape and Amenity 39 6.3 ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES 39 6.4 PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 40 6.4.1 Townsite Expansion 41 6.4.2 Provide for Boat Launching and Beach Access 41 6.4.3 Manage Off-Road Vehicle Access 42 6.4.4 Revegetation and Tree Planting 42 7.0 HUTT RIVER 44 7.1 BUILT AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 44 7.2 ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES 44 7.3 PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 44 7.3.1 Upgrade Tracks and Provide Carparks 44 7.3.2 Facilities 45 8.0 HALFWAY BAY COASTAL PRECINCT 46 8.1 BUILT AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT 46 8.2 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 47 8.2.1 Coastline, Nearshore Landform and Soils 47 8.2.2 Hydrology 48 8.2.3 Vegetation 48 8.2.4 Site Stability and Erosion 48 8.2.5 Landscape and Amenity 49 8.2.6 Land Capability and Land Suitability 49 8.3 ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES 49 3 - 3 - Shire of Northampton Coastal Strategy 8.3.1 Development and Management 51 8.3.2 Dune Protection and Control of Access 51 8.3.3 Boat Launching 52 8.3.4 Informal Camping, Fires and Rubbish 52 8.3.5 Revegetation in Reserve 34945 52 8.4 PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 53 8.4.1 Development Concept for Halfway Bay 53 8.4.2 Lucky Bay 60 8.4.3 Sandalwood Bay 60 9.0 OTHER AREAS 61 9.1 WAGOE BEACH 61 9.2 BOWES RIVER TO OAKABELLA CREEK 61 10.0 MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION 63 10.1 OVERVIEW 63 10.2 PRIORITIES 65 10.3 LAND TENURE, ACCESS AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES 65 10.3.1 Freehold (Private) Land 65 10.3.2 Public (Crown) Land 66 10.3.3 Native Title Considerations 68 10.4 USE AND DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES 68 10.5 ENVIRONMENTAL MAINTENANCE 69 10.5.1 General Maintenance 70 10.5.2 Maintenance of Rehabilitated Areas 70 10.5.3 Nearshore Marine Environments 71 10.5.4 Off-Road Vehicles 72 10.6 POSSIBLE EXTERNAL SOURCES OF FUNDING AND RESOURCES 72 10.7 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT 74 10.8 IMPLEMENTATION 76 PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES APPENDICES Appendix 1 LOCAL AREA PLANS FOR THE STUDY AREA (BCS) Appendix 2 REGISTER OF ABORIGINAL SITES OF SIGNIFICANCE AND NATIVE TITLE APPLICATIONS & DETERMINATION AREAS Appendix 3 COMMENT UPON RECOMMENDED ACTIONS FOR HORROCKS FROM PREVIOUS STUDIES Appendix 4 BY-LAWS RELATING TO HALFWAY BAY RESERVE Appendix 5 REVEGETATION AND TREE PLANTING GUIDELINES 4 - 4 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Coastal Strategy has been prepared to guide the Shire of Northampton in relation to the management, protection and planning of foreshore and coastal areas within its municipality. The Strategy area extends from the Shire‟s southern boundary with the Shire of Chapman Valley (north of Coronation Beach) to the southern boundary of the Kalbarri National Park (see Figures 1 and 2). The Strategy focuses on the coastal precincts of Horrocks, Port Gregory and Halfway Bay for which individual planning and management recommendations are made within the overall strategic framework. The Batavia Coast Strategy (BCS) prepared by the WA Planning Commission (WAPC) provides the regional planning context for the Strategy (see Figures 3 to 5). Of particular relevance is the proposed settlement hierarchy in the BCS which provides the basis for the future development and management of recreational nodes. This can be summarised as follows: SETTLEMENT NODES LEVEL OF SERVICE AND FACILITIES Local Centres Provides for localised services to surrounding areas and low key tourism Horrocks and recreation/holiday facilities. The tourism and recreation Port Gregory opportunities in these towns are directly related to the surrounding coastal resources. Overnight Provides for a range of accommodation types at these nodes including Accommodation Sites recreational camping, although campsites outside the nodes are not ruled Little Bay out. Halfway Bay Day Use Precincts These precincts have been identified due to their proximity to towns and North and south of because they are used intensively by local residents and visitors. In some Horrocks (including cases they include UCL and have no formal coastal management. They Little Bay and the are characterised by significant vehicle access (in some cases off-road Bowes River mouth) vehicles access to the foreshore and coastal dunes) and host day use North and south of Port recreation activities. The BCS recommends that in the short term, Gregory (including the management planning will be required for these precincts to identify Hutt River mouth) recreation patterns and to rationalise and rehabilitate access tracks. Major Day Use Sites To be managed and upgraded to ensure a high level of facilities, such as Bowes River mouth designated two-wheel drive access, carparks, ablution facilities, shelters, Hutt River mouth * precincts to demarcate and separate competing users (particularly off- road vehicles and pedestrians), information and signage, walk trails and designated off-road vehicle entry points where appropriate. Minor Day Use Sites Public Land Minor day use sites are identified in the BCS on public land where access Lucky Bay can be gained without the need to traverse private land. Private Land Whitecliffs A low level of development is recommended for minor day use sites, Woolawar Gully & including access by dedicated public tracks or rationalised beach access. Jacksons Hole In some remote locations, depending on the range of uses Oakabella River mouth accommodated, low-key parking, ablutions and shelters is seen to be appropriate. * Hutt River is considered a minor day use site in this Strategy not a major site as proposed in the BCS. i As a basis for developing further the planning framework and recommendations of the BCS in this Strategy both the natural environment and built and social environment were considered for each coastal node. Issues and opportunities were then identified from an analysis of the above and through physical examination and stakeholder consultation. This enabled planning and management recommendations to be formulated for each of the coastal nodes. General coastal issues identified in the Strategy include: lack of defined and managed access to recreation sites; informal camping and unmanaged permanent accommodation at recreation sites; and the need for improved conservation of landscape features, vegetation and native fauna. In the towns and recreation nodes identified, issues include: foreshore management (Horrocks and Port Gregory); town expansion to the extent that it affects coastal management (Horrocks and Port Gregory); environmentally sensitive development; car parking; boat launching; beach use conflict; the need for additional facilities; and building standards.