Pittwater Council Website

Pittwater Council Vision - To be a vibrant sustainable community of connected villages inspired by bush, beach and water.

The following access keys are available throughout the Pittwater Council site. "m" will take you to the main content, "n" will take you to the site navigation, "s" will take you to the site search form and "t" will take you to the top of the page.

Main Content

Coastal Zone

The coastal zone encompasses the interface between land and sea. It includes beaches, headlands, rock platforms, dunes, foreshores, estuaries and marine waters. It is an area defined by the Coastal Protection Act. Click here to be directed to the NSW Government Planning & Infrastructure website that contains the metropolitan regional coastal zone maps.

Managing the coastal zone is a complex process. "The NSW coastline has come under increasing pressure as it continues to attract many new residents and visitors seeking the lifestyle and environment of coastal living. Planning for coastal communities must balance the need to provide jobs, housing, facilities and transport for a growing population while maintaining the coast's unique qualities." NSW Government Planning & Infrastructure

Types of coastal hazards can include:

  • beach erosion;
  • shoreline recess;
  • coastal inundation (including estuaries);
  • coastal cliff or slope instability;
  • tidal inundation (including estuaries);
  • coastal lake or watercourse entrance instability;
  • estuary erosion caused by tidal waters.

The NSW Government Office of Environment and Heritage is responsible for administering the coastal zone management program which aims at reducing the impacts of coastal hazards and maintaining the ecological health of our estuaries while accomodating population growth.

Updated: 18 Nov 2011