A THIN strip of bitumen was all that stood between a row of multimillion-dollar Hawks Nest properties and the ocean as the sun rose on Friday.
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The largest swell in decades tore off chunks of road as it surged to within 10 metres of the beachfront properties.
A late wind change was all that stopped further destruction at Jimmys Beach.
‘‘There was nothing we could have done on Thursday because the sand was being lost at such a rapid rate. It wasn’t until this morning that we were able to get in there and start putting it back,’’ Great Lakes Council Glenn Handford said.
A convoy of trucks were enlisted to dump about 25,000 cubic metres of sand back onto the beach, classified as one of the state’s coastal erosion hot spots, yesterday.
Debate is raging about the viability of protecting the homes by continually dumping sand on the beach.
Mr Handford defended the controversial practice, which some have linked with sand inundation problems across Port Stephens.
‘‘Every study since the 1980s has concluded that the best way to manage the erosion on Jimmys Beach is through renourishment,’’ he said.
However, growing numbers of locals are demanding a rock groyne to be created along the beachfront.
‘‘The environmental destruction that has been caused by continually dumping sand on the beach is appalling,’’ resident David Glynn said.
‘‘The only way to stop this problem in the long term is to put something there that can’t be washed away.’’
Tea Gardens resident Andrew Sharp described this week’s erosion as the worst in 60 years.
‘‘The locals are just bashing their heads against a wall. You can’t just keep dumping sand there without serious consequences,’’ he said.
One of those consequences is the build up of sand in the Myall River.
The Myall River Action Group is advocating for a permanent sand shifter to be installed to pump sand from the river to back to the beach.
Millions of tonnes of sand has been lost from elsewhere on the Hunter’s coastline over the past week.
Visitors to Newcastle ocean baths got a rare glimpse of the map of the world etching on the floor of the normally sand-filled canoe pool.
Four-wheel drivers visiting Stockton Beach this weekend are also urged to exercise caution.
‘‘Exceptionally large swells and tides over the past week has eroded the beach creating dangerous drop-offs, flooding and making parts of the beach impassable to all vehicles,’’ National Parks and Wildlife Hunter coast manager Andrew Bond said.
‘‘The swell is very unpredictable and can swamp the beachfront even at low tides.’’
NEWCASTLE’S beaches and ocean baths are expected to stay shut this weekend due to weather conditions.
Massive currents and riptides prompted Newcastle City Council to declare the beaches yesterday.
And they anticipate they will stay shut at least until tomorrow.
‘‘The beaches are closed for ocean swimming, surfing, rock fishing and other ocean sports,’’ the council said in a statement.
‘‘Conditions are dangerous even for experienced swimmers.’’
The beaches will be assessed again tomorrow.
The closure follows a wild week of Hunter weather which saw snow fall at Barrington Tops and massive surf erode the region’s coast.