Setting priorities for Byron shire’s sea-level rise

A number of people responding to my letter about sea level rise and Byron Bay have asked me where to look on the web site.

If you follow this link https://coastadapt.com.au/sea-level-rise-information-all-australian-coastal-councils you can use the dropdown box to see Byron and download the appropriate maps for the shire.

I hope our new councillors will have a good look and start planning for the inevitable.

We should rethink whether or not to spend large amounts of money on infrastructure, such as the bypass, rock walls and new housing developments.

Instead, perhaps we should be spending that money on mitigation measures such as the raising of vital connecting roads, sewage, water and electricity infrastructure, and ways to assist those living in vulnerable areas.

We need a master plan that addresses all these issues. And it’s not just Byron Bay. Ocean Shores and the northern coastline will be remodelled by the sea and the estuaries.

Let’s hope for a council with a vision for the future, and that means 20+ year plans, not stop-gap measures and ad-hoc decisions.