{"id":1479,"date":"2026-05-25T11:24:54","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T11:24:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/friendsofsurfsidebeach.org.au\/home\/?page_id=1479"},"modified":"2026-07-16T17:15:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T07:15:19","slug":"faqs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/friendsofsurfsidebeach.org.au\/home\/faqs\/","title":{"rendered":"FAQs"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row bg_type=”bg_color” bg_override=”full” bg_color_value=”#DD993314″][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_toggle title=”What sort of solution is Friends of Surfside Beach advocating for?” style=”rounded” color=”peacoc” size=”lg” css_animation=”fadeIn” custom_font_container=”tag:h6|text_align:left|color:%23000000″ custom_use_theme_fonts=”yes” custom_css_animation=”fadeInDown” css=”” use_custom_heading=”true”]There are potentially many options of varying degrees of cost and effectiveness. Our intention is to promote and advocate for both short term and long term planning, funding and preventative and\/or restorative action, consistent with the Purpose and Objectives<\/a> outlined in the Friends of Surfside Beach constitution.\u00a0As at May 2026, emergency sand scraping is critical as a short term solution. We will also be advocating for Council to apply for funding that would commence planning toward a long term permanent solution.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=”How will Friends of Surfside Beach make any difference?” style=”rounded” color=”peacoc” size=”lg” css_animation=”fadeIn” custom_font_container=”tag:h6|text_align:left” custom_use_theme_fonts=”yes” custom_css_animation=”fadeInDown” css=”” use_custom_heading=”true”]Friends of Surfside Beach has no authority to make any decisions, set strategy or guide funding at any level of Government. Friends of Surfside is about working with Council, government entities and elected officials in a constructive manner, to influence positive outcomes for the community consistent with the Purpose and Objectives<\/a> outlined in the Friends of Surfside Beach constitution and representative of the feedback and advice from its members. We will provide a voice for the community and make representations in a more coordinated way than what sometimes happens when multiple individuals communicate to a government body on the same topic. We will be open and transparent in our dealings. Where there are differing or conflicting views across the community, we will ensure that stakeholders understand that there are multiple views.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=”If I donate money, can I claim it on tax?” style=”rounded” color=”peacoc” size=”lg” css_animation=”fadeIn” custom_font_container=”tag:h6|text_align:left” custom_use_theme_fonts=”yes” custom_css_animation=”fadeInDown” css=”” use_custom_heading=”true”]Yes, donations to the Friends of Surfside Beach Gift Fund can be claimed as tax deductions on individual tax returns. The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has endorsed deductible gift status.<\/p>\n

Nobody associated with Friends of Surfside Beach is paid any money including committee members, so 100% of all funds raised will be spent directly on things that benefit the Surfside environment.<\/p>\n

Friends of Surfside Beach\u2019s donation policy and DGR gift fund rules are at this link<\/a>.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=”Is Eurobodalla Shire Council responsible for maintaining the Surfside dune?” style=”rounded” color=”peacoc” size=”lg” css_animation=”fadeIn” custom_font_container=”tag:h6|text_align:left” custom_use_theme_fonts=”yes” custom_css_animation=”fadeInDown” css=”” use_custom_heading=”true”]Yes, but there are also other government entities with responsibilities relating to Surfside Beach.<\/p>\n

The Eurobodalla Coastal Management Program (CMP) provides the overarching framework for funding and coastal management actions. The CMP can be found at Eurobodalla Open Coast CMP<\/a>. Importantly, the CMP outlines various actions directly relevant to Surfside Beach, including (but not limited to) frontal dune management (Council responsibility \u2013 CH9_A) and beach nourishment from sand dredging in the Batemans Bay and Clyde River area (Transport for NSW responsibility \u2013 CH1_L). Within the CMP, sand scraping is the only management option currently available to Council, for protecting the dune from coastal erosion in the short term. Further detailed information relating to the CMP is publicly available at Coastal management | Eurobodalla Council<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Additionally, as at May 2026, Council has confirmed that the 2005 Surfside Beach foreshore reserve plan of management (adopted 2008) remains a valid document. The map below (extract from page 27) shows Council\u2019s area of responsibility. The report is at Surfside Beach foreshore reserve plan of management<\/a>.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=”Is there money in Council’s budget for sand scraping and other works at Surfside Beach?” style=”rounded” color=”peacoc” size=”lg” css_animation=”fadeIn” custom_font_container=”tag:h6|text_align:left” custom_use_theme_fonts=”yes” custom_css_animation=”fadeInDown” css=”” use_custom_heading=”true”]Yes.<\/p>\n

On 13 July 2026, Eurobodalla Shire Council (ESC) confirmed that the budget request proposed by Friends of Surfside Beach was supported by staff and that Council had resolved to approve a new recurring operational budget of $60,000 from 2026-27.<\/p>\n

The full email from ESC reads as follows:<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for taking the time to provide your feedback during the exhibition of Council\u2019s draft Operational Plan 2026-27.<\/p>\n

Your submission and staff response were provided in full to our Councillors and were considered at the Ordinary Council Meeting that was held on 30 June 2026.<\/p>\n

Please see below staffs\u2019 response to your submission noted within the agenda:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Surfside Beach sand scraping budget: The budget request proposed by the Friends of Surfside Beach (FoSB) is supported by staff. It is recommended that a recurring budget of $60,000 be allocated commencing in the 2026-27 financial year; to support emergency coastal management works at Surfside, and other coastal hazard sites in accordance with approved actions in Council\u2019s Open Coast Coastal Management and Flood Risk Management Plans. Additionally, Council will advocate to the NSW Government for further funding to support emergency coastal management works. It is expected that grant funds and\/or community fund raising by the FoSB could substitute this budget, but the upfront commitment from Council would allow the forward planning required to effectively manage coastal erosion priorities.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    In relation to GMR26\/006 Adoption of the Operational Plan 2026-27, Fees and Charges 2026-27 and Long Term Financial Plan 2026-36, Council resolved:<\/p>\n

    \u2026<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. That Council approve a recurring operational budget of $60,000 from the 2026-27 financial year to respond to emergency coastal management works identified as approved actions within Council\u2019s Open Coast Coastal Management and Flood Risk Management Plans.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      At the 30 June 2026 public forum, North Batemans Bay local Trish Hellier argued for funding to be specifically and clearly allocated to Surfside. This generated discussion across Councillors and the Mayor publicly stated the following: \u201cThe intent here is that we allocate $60k but we are still going to be going to the state government for more funding and that community group (Friends of Surfside Beach)<\/em>\u00a0is also trying to internally raise some money so the idea is that we have a bigger pool and that we scrape multiple times a year with the current regime, but if there is extra money because we know how politicians love to make promises during election cycles, we may get this big bucket of money and we may not need to spend that $60,000 at Surfside that year, that we could then, you never know what might come tomorrow, another problem that we could allocate money to, but the intent of the $60,000 is for Surfside\u2026..<\/p>\n

      Jason Ford, President of Friends of Surfside Beach spoke with Mayor Hatcher the following day. Mayor Hatcher reiterated his public comments and made the following points \u2013 the $60K is for Surfside only, unless something changes via a separate larger State or Federal funding commitment; Council is already engaging with the State Government to request the State match the funding; Council intends to carry out two scraping exercises each year; Council will seek environmental approval to scrape more sand than last time and more often; Council is continuing to work on a permanent solution in the background.<\/p>\n

      You can watch Council\u2019s replay of Trish\u2019s presentation and the Council discussion starting at the 41 minute point at:\u00a0Meeting Archive – Eurobodalla Shire Council<\/a>.[\/vc_toggle][vc_toggle title=”Was $12 million in funding under the Disaster Readiness Program announced in 2023, meant to be spent on addressing the erosion issues at Surfside Beach.” style=”rounded” color=”peacoc” size=”lg” css_animation=”fadeIn” custom_font_container=”tag:h6|text_align:left|color:%23000000″ custom_use_theme_fonts=”yes” custom_css_animation=”fadeInDown” css=”” use_custom_heading=”true”]In short, no. The following information is relevant to that misunderstanding:<\/p>\n