Aerial view of Kai Iwi Beach (Mowhanau)
Whanganui has spectacular beaches which hold special significance for many of us. We want to take care of these for our community now and for coming generations so we’re looking to the future and developing an action plan. Our aim is to make Whanganui’s coast more resilient in the face of natural processes, which are affected by climate change.
Why we need an action plan
The key challenges our coast is facing are erosion, significant natural sand movement and ecological degradation.
The impact of climate change will cause additional erosion, particularly at Kai Iwi Beach (Mowhanau). Sand movement will add further pressure to public beach access, especially during windy seasons at Castlecliff Beach. There are also valuable flora and fauna on the coast that require protection and restoration.
At both locations protecting infrastructure will be important to consider for the future – this means the Duncan Pavilion and surf lifesaving club at Castlecliff and the surf lifesaving shack and toilet block at Kai Iwi.
Several coastal strategies and reports have been developed by council over the years, but a plan which addresses urgent issues, aligns with other coastal projects, and protects coastal assets into the future is needed. Initially the plan will address two key areas - Castlecliff and Mowhanau/Kai Iwi Beach. South Beach will also be investigated for future inclusion in the plan.
A staged approach
The Coastal Action Plan is being designed in such a way that some sections can be implemented, while other areas are still being worked on. This staged approach is necessary as the challenges at Castlecliff and Kai Iwi beach are starkly different – Castlecliff is an accreting coastline with windblown sand issues and poor management of vehicle/pedestrian use of dunes. While Kai Iwi beach is a retreating coastline with naturally high erosion rates that are likely to be further exacerbated by climate change.
Coastal survey
In 2022 we ran a coastal survey to get a sense of how the community connect with and what they value about our coastal spaces. We also asked how these spaces could be improved. We received 505 responses. A big thank you to those who put their time into giving us their feedback.
You can view the responses to our survey here.
Drop In Sessions
In June 2022 a number of drop-in sessions were held to get in-person input to help us build the draft plan. At these sessions, coastal scientist Jim Dahm (who has over 30 years' experience in coastal management and community engagement) shared his knowledge of coastal processes as well as management possibilities for Castlecliff and Kai Iwi beaches.
Next steps for Castlecliff
Engagement on the Coastal Action Plan at Castlecliff is currently being led by Ngā Ringaringa Waewae. Ngā Ringaringa Waewae are a community and hapū co-operative made up of Progress Castlecliff and Te Mata Pūau (a collective of hapū who are also working on the port revitalisation project - Te Pūwaha).
Ngā Ringaringa Waewae have been working on a consolidated vision for the future of this coast and have been engaging with community in a variety of ways over the past few months. To keep informed on engagement events and opportunities, please follow Ngā Ringaringa Waewae on their website or facebook.
Next steps for Kai Iwi Beach
In December 2022, Tonkin and Taylor began reviewing a series of management options for Kai Iwi Beach. The final report on these options can be found here. We are currently seeking proposals for further technical information and assessments to support this work.
Updates
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