Evaluation of beach rehabilitation success, Turners Beach, Tasmania

Beaches worldwide have been subjected to human impacts by the trampling of vegetation, leading to exposure that increases their vulnerability to erosion. Rehabilitation efforts have included dune revegetation and control of human, access along with information signs for public education. Long term evaluation of the success of these is largely lacking, particularly in Australia where there has been significant Natural Resource Management funding in the last 20 years. This study used beach monitoring profiles, sediment analysis, historical photographs and community surveys to evaluate beach rehabilitation activities at Turners Beach, Northern Tasmania, where significant community effort has been invested. Results showed that the western and central sections of Turners Beach have experienced overall accretion since 2006, with development of a foredune and evidence of marine derived sediment deposition. The eastern section continued to show some erosion, with informal access tracks remaining despite fencing and signage. After 15 years of rehabilitation, historical photographs and community survey showed that human access control using boardwalks and vegetation replanting has been successful, justifying the community effort and federal government funding that was invested at the time, and ongoing community and local government maintenance since. Dune fencing was also found to have partly contributed to rehabilitation success, while placement of rocks along the shoreline appeared to have had mixed results, and information signs were found to be the least successful management practice. Topographic survey of beach profiles was confirmed by this study to be an effective method for evaluation of erosion, justifying the involvement of surveyors, with such long term monitoring being beyond the scope of most projects. Community survey was also confirmed to be a valuable tool in identifying long term changes, and community participation to be successful in increasing the integrity and resilience of beach and dunes areas.