Friends of Surfside Beach presented to Eurobodalla Shire Council’s Public Access forum on 9 June 2026, supported by at least 30 Surfside locals watching in the public gallery and many others online. A transcript is here.
The key message called for Council and Councillors to undertake four actions:
- fund further sand scraping as a priority, recognising that the foreshore environment and in turn, lower Surfside, is vulnerable. Sand scraping is cheap but it’s effective;
- include a specific funding line for Surfside beach restoration/maintenance in Council’s Operational Plan 2026-27 and future years;
- resolve to actively pursue external funding opportunities through State and Federal programs as opportunities arise (including the NSW Govt Coastal and Estuary Grants program and round 4 of the Federal Government’s Disaster Ready Fund); and
- communicate the pathway forward to the community.
The Batemans Bay Boaters Association presented second, reinforcing the need for action at Surfside. Harry Watson-Smith discussed the failure of the recent dredging program and when and how scraping and other works should be undertaken. Through his presentation and in the questions following, Harry articulated the history of the estuary and the Bay and sand movement in general.
You can watch the presentations at Council’s website Meeting Archive – Eurobodalla Shire Council. Content relevant to Surfside starts from the 1 minute mark.
Some media articles covered the forum:
Power FM Bega Bay – New group formed to fight for Surfside beachfront homes – Power FM Bega Bay
About Regional – https://aboutregional.com.au/more-calls-for-action-long-term-solutions-to-coastal-erosion-at-surfside-beach/508316/
Presentation extracts were also reported in the Moruya Mail, see from page 6 at MM130 20260610.
Friends of Surfside Beach’s submission is at this link.
