A small community on NSW's north coast is up in arms over a government decision to upgrade an ageing breakwall, amid fears it would permanently destroy the town's world class surf break and local memorials.
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The government body behind the project says the plan will go ahead despite the views of a renowned coastal engineer who found a major upgrade of the century-old breakwall is unnecessary.
The Port Macquarie southern breakwall is a culturally significant site for many locals and features a number of painted memorial rocks and plaques that could be lost in the upgrade.
Leading the fight against the decision is three-time bodyboarding world champion and Port Macquarie local, Damian King.
He says he grew up surfing the break and wouldn't have won the World Bodyboarding Championship in 2003 and 2004 followed by the world dropknee title in 2011, without it.
"I used to sleep at that beach ever since I was 13-years-old, in my wetsuit and everything," Mr King says.
"You could fit cars in the barrels out there."
For Mr King and thousands of other residents, the move to halt changes to the breakwall and surrounding area became more about the spirit of the town itself.
"The whole thing to be honest, it started out for me personally, just being concerned about the waves and since then I've had people just come out of the woodwork ... people who just love it," he says.
"There's 139 memorials out there ... I've had people call me in tears."
Renowned coastal engineer Angus Gordon last week conducted an assessment of the breakwall, funded by the community opposition group.
He says the government's proposal of a complete renewal is unnecessary and the wall could be maintained with targeted repairs in several locations.
"The breakwall definitely needs some repair. I'm not of the view that it needs a major upgrade," Mr Gordon says.
He says he believes discrepancies between his and other engineering perspectives that support the upgrade could be due to the age of the breakwall, which was completed in 1939.
"There's not a lot of people around anymore who understand how to manage this type of breakwater," he says.
"I'm in my late 70s and probably one of the few people left alive who was mentored by the people who designed, built and maintained this type of breakwater.
A $5 million upgrade to the breakwall was announced in November 2020 by then transport minister Andrew Constance and local member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams.
Assessments were conducted by two companies over the following year, the first of which by Manly Hydraulics rated the breakwall five out six - a relatively high score for a used breakwall.
A later assessment by engineering firm, Royal Haskoning DHV which added an underwater survey recommended a full reconstruction of the breakwall.
Transport for NSW, which is conducting the upgrade, says the initial assessment of the breakwall extended only as far as the skate park - an area which underwent repairs in 2014.
"The Royal Haskoning DHV report confirms rather than contradicts the Manly Hydraulics survey about the need to repair the Southern Breakwall."
A third independent engineering review of the breakwall project was last week announced by the department, describing it as "entirely normal" and saying it would go ahead as planned with the tender process already underway.
According to a government spokesperson, not all community members are opposed to the project and the changes to the shape of the breakwall would likely have limited effect on nearby waves.
"Transport for NSW and the surfing and board riding community share a common objective - to maintain the breakwall structure and ensure its longevity which will enable all in the community to continue to enjoy the surf break."
Australian Associated Press
