Silver Beach Upgrade, Kurnell

Reason For Works

Council has recently completed upgrade works on the stage 1 & 2 area at the eastern end of Silver Beach at Kurnell.

The aim of the upgrade was to open up the dune area for passive recreation for Kurnell residents and visitors. Areas of dune planting were removed and replaced with mown lawn, and some dune fences were removed to reduce the visual impact and improve access. In order to provide the important protection of the front dune, some areas of fencing and planting along the beach front were retained.

Scope of works

The key features of the upgrade include:

• Existing dune planting removed - areas of existing dune planting adjacent to the footpath were removed and replaced with open lawn;
• Existing dune planting retained along the beach front - a strip of existing dune planting along the beach front was retained to protect the dune. Additional planting was installed where required;
• Rubbish removed - existing shrubs, weeds and rubbish were removed from planting areas;
• Existing dune fence removed - areas of existing dune fence were removed to allow access to the new open lawn area;
• Existing dune fence retained along the beach front - the existing dune fence was retained along the beach front to protect the frontal dune. Where fences were buried they were lifted and reinstalled in the same location;
• New timber edge - installed between the new lawn area and dune planting to provide a mowing and maintenance edge;
• Existing accessways retained;
• New beach accessway - installed to the west of the Caltex jetty;
• Existing trees retained - all existing trees over 1.5m height were retained and the lower branches were removed to a height of 2m to open up views. Dead trees and branches were removed;
• New tree plantings - new trees were planted in some locations where no trees exist currently, to provide shade to the new lawn areas.

Work still to be completed:

• New picnic tables - 2 picnic tables will be installed at the eastern end of Silver Beach in February 2013;
• New regulatory signs - regulatory and beach safety advisory signs will be installed at each accessway, including 'Animals Prohibited on Beach' signage. This work will be competed early in 2013.

Project Milestones

Community Consultation - July 2011
Consultation was carried out from July 2011 through to March 2012. The responses were incorporated into the final design which was modified to reduce the extent of the fencing.

Construction - Spring 2012
Construction of the upgrade works which included fencing modifications and landscaping works was completed in November 2012.