Stage 2 - Tumby Bay Foreshore Alignment Study
Tumby Bay Foreshore Alignment Study (Stage 2)
The District Council of Tumby Bay is working with Magryn & Associates and Sproutt on a realignment study of the township foreshore to manage coastal erosion, preserve access and amenity, and plan for long-term resilience.
This project builds on the 2024 Coastal Adaptation Strategy (CAS), which assessed the risks of coastal erosion and inundation across the Tumby Bay foreshore. The results of the CAS identified a clear need for protection, and through multi-criteria and cost analysis assessments, along with community consultation, a Rock Revetment Wall with Levee was selected as the preferred coastal protection approach.
Back of Seawall Treatment Options
Three options are being proposed for your comment and feedback. These options have been designed based on the present-day coastal exposure and hazard posed to the beach and foreshore, as well as considering the changes to the beach into the future. Details on the beach erosion modelling are available from the Council upon request.
The seawall will be implemented along the entire foreshore of the Tumby Bay township, from the caravan park (matching into the existing rock revetement seawall) to Elanora Avenue (Refer to Council Meeting Minutes 12th August 2025). The implementation of the seawall also provides opportunities for upgrades to the foreshore open space including assets and parking. Tumby Terrace and Esplanade streets are wide enough to accommodate on street parallel parking, removing the need for indented parking bays and allowing for additional useable open space to be incorporated into the foreshore. These options will be considered in future projects, however Council are not considering redesign of the foreshore assets at this time.
Levels of natural ground vary along the foreshore therefore, in low lying areas, the treatment behind the wall will need to include a rise in ground level, however the rise in height does not take away the options for the surface treatments behind the wall. We want you to tell us which treatments you prefer, as well as where you would most like to access the beach.
We have shown four key locations within the township – caravan park, yacht club, café, and the hospital – with each of the back of seawall treatment options for visualisation. These posters are available below and at the Council office.
The three back of seawall treatment options are as follows:
Option 1: A full-length 3.5m wide shared path is added directly behind the seawall, allowing for continuous travel from the caravan park to Elanora Avenue. Adding a full-length shared path removes the need for the existing footpath in narrower areas of the foreshore, allowing for the addition of green space. We have shown this option on our Selected Alignment poster.
Option 2: A full length 2.5m wide footpath is added to the back of the seawall. Whilst the footpath is narrower than a shared path, it does allow for more greenspace at the back of the wall, and some of the existing infrastructure may be retained.
Option 3: Planted dunes (only available for section of seawall in front of Tumby Bay Homes on Esplanade), turf and/or garden beds are added to the back of the seawall, discretely hiding the wall from view. A shared path and/or footpath may be located further away from the wall, however, may not run for the entire length of the foreshore. Access to the beach will be via formal paths from parking areas to the seawall.
Community Engagement (Stage 2) – Online Survey
This survey will help inform the next stage of design and ensure that community values are considered from the outset.
This survey is part of Stage 2 Community Engagement and focusses on determining the best access locations to the beach from the foreshore and treatment options, roadside of the new revetment wall.
Please refer to the Treatment Options provided to compare criteria between the three options.
We appreciate your input and we look forward to working with you through future stages of this project.
Click here to complete the survey.
Survey closes on Friday 10 October 2025.
What We’ve Heard So Far
On June 20th and 21st 2025, members of Magryn and Sproutt visited Tumby Bay to engage with the community through in-person sessions with the aim of informing the community of the seawall alignment options presented in Stage 1 of the Foreshore Alignment Study.
We noted common questions which are answered below.
- Is the wall going to be made of rock?
Yes, the coastal protection structure endorsed by the Council, following the results of the Coastal Adaptation Study, is a Rock Revetment Seawall with Levee. - How many beach access points will there be? What’s going to happen to the bike path?
We are currently consulting on this! - When is the seawall being built? Will it be built in stages? The implementation of the seawall is included in the Council’s long-term plan (subject to funding) with the first segment of seawall projected to be built at the start of the 2026/2027 Financial Year. The seawall will be implemented in stages, starting with areas of high priority that are currently experiencing high rates of erosion or are at high risk of flooding.
- What is the concrete wall at the back of the seawall?
This concrete wall is part of the flood and overtopping protection design of the seawall to prevent water moving through the rocks and flooding areas behind, and to limit waves overtopping the seawall during large storm events.