In 2022, Shore Coastal was engaged to manage the Busselton Storm Surge Risk Mitigation (Tropical Cyclones) project. This was in partnership with the National Recovery and Resilience Agency and the Preparing Australian Communities Program (PACP). The project aim was to mitigate the risk of coastal inundation associated with tropical cyclone storm surges to the large regional City of Busselton, in southwest Western Australia.
In 2025 the project received the Western Australian Coastal Award for Excellence in Coastal Adaption for its contribution to sustainable use, and long-term management and improvement of Western Australia’s coastline. These awards honour the exceptional contributions of people leading the way in safeguarding our coastal environments. The project is both broad in scope and meticulous in execution, combining rigorous scientific monitoring, ecological restoration, hazard mitigation, and community engagement.
On completion of the project in March 2026 four main components had been delivered:
- Emergency Response improvements enhanced preparedness through updated coastal inundation mapping, integration with the City’s GIS systems, and multi-agency scenario planning. The establishment of the Busselton Wave and Tide Network, comprising jetty-mounted sensors and an offshore wave buoy provides real-time data to improve forecasting, model validation, and emergency response.
- Coastal Investigations and Flood Modelling delivered high-resolution LiDAR and hydrographic surveys and detailed numerical modelling, completed in 2024. Wave and tide monitoring, onshore and offshore survey by MNG using a water penetrating Green Lidar survey (2023 Geospatial Excellence Award Winner for Technical Innovation) and storm surge modelling over 35km of coastline were integrated. Environmental studies of coastal vegetation impacts were also undertaken.
- Dune resilience works completed as part of the project include over 3,000m of Nature Based Coastal Protection; dune reconstruction, nourishment, and revegetation. These works strengthened natural coastal defences in selected low lying coastal areas, enhancing coastal protection and environmental values.
- Coastal Flood Mitigation Works focused on infrastructure upgrades, including approximately 2.3 kilometres of levees integrated into the coastal path network. These provide flood protection while maintaining public amenity.
The project represents an initial stage in a longer-term adaptation pathway to coastal inundation along Geographe Bay, requiring ongoing maintenance, monitoring, and future investment.
