First stage of Shoalwater's Mersey Point seawall complete

The City of Rockingham has completed work on the first part of the Mersey Point Granite Seawall project in Shoalwater. 

The project saw the City replace the existing limestone seawall and timber beach stairs with a new 325 metre granite seawall and steel beach stairs.

Built at a cost of $2.04 million, the City secured full funding for the project through the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program. 

City of Rockingham Mayor Deb Hamblin said the new seawall at Mersey Point was integral to protecting the coastline and existing City infrastructure in the area, including the Arcadia Drive road reserve. 

Though the project is practically complete fencing will be installed along the seawall on Arcadia Drive by the end of January 2022 to avoid any unauthorised access on the seawall.

Additionally, some low level coastal landscaping will be planted in winter to beautify the area and reduce sand movement.

“Prior to delivering the new granite seawall the City carried out extensive monitoring of the coastline in the region for more than a decade,” Mayor Hamblin said. 

“This research, combined with the significant risks of erosion highlighted in the City’s Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Plan, clearly demonstrated that action had to be taken to preserve this stretch of coastline. 

“Community members will recall on several occasions that temporary repairs in past winters have had to be carried out at Mersey Point to maintain the coastline after storm damage. 

“The construction of the new granite seawall aims to provide a long term solution to this issue. Importantly, this project strongly aligns with the City’s key strategic aspiration of planning for future generations.”

The second part of the Mersey Point Granite Seawall project is likely to begin in March/April 2022, subject to securing a suitable contractor, and this will include works on the western end of the seawall, located near Pengos Café.