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About

Coastal hazard adaptation planning

Coastal hazard adaptation planning helps councils understand how coastal hazards may affect their communities now and into the future. They can then consider ways to manage these risks and plan appropriate actions.

The resources and support below helps staff new to coastal adaptation planning, taking over an existing project, or looking to understand how the planning process works.

On this page:

Why we need to adapt

South Australia's coast is dynamic and exposed to a range of coastal hazards. These include coastal erosion and inundation, as well as other processes that can affect coastal land, infrastructure, property and other social, economic and environmental values.

Climate change is also changing coastal conditions. South Australian Government projections identify rising sea levels and an increased frequency and height of extreme sea-level events among the projected impacts for South Australia.

Adaptation planning provides a structured way to understand these changes and their potential impacts, consider how risks can be managed and make informed long-term decisions.

Who’s responsible

While councils have an important role in leading local adaptation planning, implementation of adaptation actions will not usually sit with councils alone.

Responsibility for coastal management is shared across different levels of government, landowners, communities and other stakeholders.

Visit coastal management to learn the responsibilities of state and local government.

How to get started

Councils don’t necessarily need to start coastal adaptation planning from scratch.

You may be able to start developing a Coastal Hazard Adaptation Plan from existing work, such as:

  • hazard studies
  • risk assessments
  • adaptation plans
  • monitoring
  • community engagement.

The Climate Ready Coasts team (on this page) can help councils review their existing work, identify gaps and scope an appropriate way forward.

Coastal Hazard Adaptation Plans

Coastal Hazard Adaptation Plans bring together the evidence, analysis and decisions developed through the coastal hazard adaptation planning process.

The Coastal Hazard Adaptation Planning Guidelines (PDF 7.8 MB) step councils through this planning process, which includes:

  • understanding the local coastal environment and conditions
  • assessing coastal hazards and risks
  • evaluating options for adapting to these risks
  • engaging with communities and stakeholders
  • planning how adaptation actions will be implemented.

Councils are also supported throughout the process by the Climate Ready Coasts team (on this page).

Funding to progress your plan

Councils can apply for funding to help progress adaptation planning and projects identified in their adaptation plans.

This rolling grant program allows councils to progress projects as they become ready. Councils can submit an Expression of Interest at any time up until June 2028.

Learn more about the Coastal Hazard Adaptation Grants.

Guidelines and supporting resources

We’ve developed guidelines and supporting resources to provide a robust and consistent approach to adaptation planning in South Australia.

They’ve been designed so councils can tailor their approach to local coastal conditions, risks and circumstances.

Visit coastal management under the Climate Change Resources Hub to access these resources and more.

Advice and project support

Getting the scope right from the start can be one of the most important parts of coastal adaptation planning.

Climate Ready Coast can work with your council to:

  • clarify project objectives
  • develop project scopes
  • prepare consultant briefs and RFQs
  • plan engagement
  • identify resourcing and funding needs
  • work through technical or adaptation planning questions as a project progresses.

Support is also available to help councils understand coastal hotspots, interpret hazard and risk assessments, explore adaptation options and progress implementation planning.

Data to support adaptation planning

The Climate Ready Coasts team can help councils access and apply coastal hazard data to support adaptation planning.

This includes:

  • applying ‘fit for purpose’ data to support coastal hazard exposure assessments – usually prepared during stage 2 of your Coastal Hazard Adaptation Plan
  • accessing and applying data to integrated coastal monitoring programs to support adaptive decision making.

The first phase of the SA Climate Ready Coast program supported improvements to SA’s coastal data and monitoring infrastructure. This included a statewide coastal erosion hazard assessment and expanded wave and tide monitoring.

Seek peer review through our Expert Panel

The Expert Panel on Coastal Adaptation can provide an independent review and analysis of your Coastal Hazard Adaptation Plan. This helps strengthen the quality, consistency and technical robustness of coastal adaptation planning.

Reviews are tailored to the complexity and needs of individual projects. Reviews may involve one or more panel members, alongside technical review from the Department for Environment and Water.

See the Expert Panel Operating Guidelines (PDF 338.0 KB).

Opportunities to learn and collaborate

Climate Ready Coasts provides opportunities to share experiences and strengthen coastal adaptation capability. These are available to coastal practitioners across local and state government.

Opportunities include:

  • the Coastal Adaptation Community of Practice
  • targeted training and professional development
  • workshops and webinars.

To join the Community of Practice and be notified of upcoming training and events, email ClimateReadyCoasts@lga.sa.gov.au.

Contact us

Not sure where to start, what support is available or how to progress your council's adaptation planning?

Talk to our team. We can help you work through your needs, scope potential work and identify the funding, technical advice, resources or other support that may be useful.

Climate Ready Coasts team

Michael Arman
Program Manager, SA Climate Ready Coasts
Email: ClimateReadyCoasts@lga.sa.gov.au

Annabel Sandery
Principal Adviser Coastal Resilience
Department for Environment and Water
Email: annabel.sandery@sa.gov.au