Resource centre
A collection of useful websites, research organisations, online research reports and insight into what some councils are up to. The Centre also contains links to state websites with updates on what each state is doing.
Scientific partners
- Bureau of Meteorology
- The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has an excellent site. The information can assist councils with their risk management, it also includes long range weather forecasts and marine forecasts. In addition, BOM undertake research projects and may be a useful partner in undertaking climate change adaptation projects.
- CSIRO
- The CSIRO undertake many projects in partnership with local government. Their Sustainable Ecosystems division has undertaken a Sustainable Futures Project with a number of councils, including Augusta Margaret River in WA.
The project involves futures modelling which brings together information about the environment, community needs and the economy to produce scenarios that can be used in decision making. - Coastal CRC
- The Coastal CRC has undertaken significant work around environmental planning, science for natural resource planning and offer many courses for professionals such as coastal planners and natural resource managers.
- Geoscience Australia
- Geoscience Australia are undertaking research in a number of areas, including seabed mapping, maritime boundaries and a project looking at the processes and impacts of catchment derived sediment and nutrient loads within estuaries and coastal waterways around Australia.
- Universities
- Many universities around Australia have undertaken projects into coastal zone management and have a range of expertise available.
Inquiries
- NSW - Infrastructure provision in coastal areas
- The NSW Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Public Works undertook an inquiry into infrastructure provision in coastal growth areas in May and June 2005. All the transcripts of the hearings and submissions are available online.
- NSW - EPA Biodiversity
- The NSW Environment Protection Agency released a discussion paper Biodiversity certification and banking in coastal and growth areas in August 2005.
Projects and organisations
National
The Coastal Cooperative Research Centre has developed a Citizen Science Toolbox to assist linking communities, scientists and decision-makers. It is set of principles and strategies to enhance meaningful stakeholder involvement in decision making. One of the key elements of using the Toolbox is that strategies need to be tailored to fit unique issues and stakeholders. Included in the Toolbox is over 60 community involvement tools from public meetings to consensus conferences, case studies of the uses of various tools and the reflections of stakeholders who participated, an annotated bibliography of over 500 citizen science references and theoretical discussions of citizen science issues. While the Toolbox has a focus on coastal and catchment environments, the principles and tools can be used in many other areas for a wide range of issues. 7 June 2006
The CSIRO undertakes marine and atmospheric research. They also have a collaboration fund and research program looking for partners under their Wealth from oceans project.
The Australian Government, through the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, Royal Australian Navy and CSIRO has initiated BLUElink Ocean forecasting Australia, a $15m project to deliver ocean forecasts for the Australian region.
The National Seachange Taskforce has been established as a national body to represent the interests of coastal councils and communities experiencing the effects of rapid population and tourism growth.
The Marine and Coastal Community Network (MCCN) is a non-government project that builds community, industry and government support for the conservation of marine biodiversity and ecological processes, and the ecologically sustainable use of marine and coastal environments. Their website highlights inquiries, provides information and looks at work being undertaken in the coastal zone around Australia.
The Australian Government has funded the establishment of the National Centre for Marine and Coastal Conservation (NCMCC) by the Australian Maritime College (AMC). The NCMCC specialises in conservation education.
New South Wales
The Sydney Councils website is useful. Amongst their activities they have produced a Groundwater Management Handbook: A Guide for Local Government, and a Water Sensitive Urban Design project for Sydney.
The NSW Coastcare Facilitator produces a fortnightly newsletter highlighting what is happening in NSW and around Australia in relation to coastal zone management. You can subscribe to receive the newsletter by emailing coastcare_nsw-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.au. The information and contacts are most useful and it is a great forum for sharing information.
Victoria
The Victorian Coastal Council is the peak body for the strategic planning and management of the Victorian coast and provides advice to the Minister for Environment. They have developed the Victorian Coastal Strategy 2002 and are responsible for the Coastal Spaces Initiative which will further implement the Government's overall policies for protecting the coast and managing development in coastal Victoria.
The Association of Bayside Municipalities (ABM) is comprised of the 10 Councils that have coastal frontage to Port Phillip Bay. Its purpose is to identify, resolve and advise on matters of common interest to the bayside Councils and to improve the overall management of the coastal environment, of which they are a key stakeholder and decision maker. Its value is that it can approach such matters on a baywide or regional basis.
Western Australia
A wealth of information is available at the Western Australian Planning Commission.
A forum has been set up in the South West and Peel areas of WA (CoastSWaP) to assist with coastal management and planning in the South West and Peel region and at the same time exchange information, lobby for resources, facilitate regional initiatives and encourage collaboration. For more information, email briamar@gateway.net.au.
Tasmania
For information on Tasmania's coastal policy and funding options visit Coastal management on the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment website.
Publications
- Institutional arrangements, incentives and governance: Unlocking the barriers to successful coastal policy-making (PDF 205 kb)
- A report from the Coast to Coast 2002 Conference, Tweed Heads Australia - published April 2004.
- Taking NRM beyond the shore - Integrating marine and coastal issues into natural resource management in Australia. (PDF 1.3 MB)
- Developed by the Marine and Coastal Community Network (MCCN), the guide provides a national overview of marine and coastal issues and policy initiatives, and contains extensive checklists to help planners to identify and review actions to be included in NRM plans.
- A conceptual framework for selecting and testing potential social and community health indicators linked to changes in coastal resource management or condition: a discussion paper.
- Technical Report 18. This discussion paper articulates a conceptual framework within which indicator selection and testing may be framed. It does not seek to identify or propose a definitive set of indicators.
- An integrated remote sensing approach for adaptive management of complex coastal waters: The Moreton Bay case study
- Technical Report 23. This document presents results from four years of inter-disciplinary work by research teams from the University of Queensland (UQ) and CSIRO to establish remotely-sensed methods for mapping and monitoring parameters of coastal environments that may be used to monitor their condition or health.
- Beach protection: risk and management (PDF 2.17 MB)
- Proceedings of the Public Workshop, Yeppoon, 7 February 2002.
The Coastal CRC together with Central Queensland University organised this public workshop to keep open discussion about the matters of beach protection from the researchers and local community points of view. One of the goals is to recognise coastal ecosystems for their intrinsic value through community participation in integrated approaches to restoration development and management. - Users' guide for estuarine, coastal and marine indicators for regional NRM monitoring
- The Users' Guide is designed to assist in the identification and selection of indicators that are relevant to a specific NRM region to meet the monitoring needs of regional NRM bodies specified under NHT2 (Natural Heritage Trust) and NAP (National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality).
- The economic value of Australia's estuaries: a scoping study
- The publication reports on the estimated value of Australian estuaries for a number of estuarine dependent and estuarine opportunist commercial fisheries, the estimated value of a number of recreational fisheries as well as an estimate of the value of a number of large ports located on estuaries around Australia.
