Residents of the coastal town of Lancelin have decided to take action themselves as ongoing beach erosion threatens one of the community’s most recognisable landmarks.
Located about 125 kilometres north of Perth, the popular holiday destination has seen its main beach rapidly disappear, with locals warning the coastline is retreating at an alarming rate. Owners of the historic Lancelin Sands Hotel say the ocean is now only seven metres from the building, compared with around 15 metres just a few months ago in March.
Successive bouts of severe weather have accelerated the erosion, prompting growing frustration among residents who say meaningful intervention from the state government has failed to materialise.
The challenges facing Lancelin reflect a broader issue affecting coastal communities across Australia. Increasingly severe storms and the impacts of a changing climate are placing pressure on shorelines nationwide, forcing some residents to relocate while governments explore a range of erosion management strategies.
Determined to protect their town, Lancelin locals have launched a community fundraising campaign to finance the construction of a seawall. The proposed 100-metre barrier would help safeguard the Lancelin Sands Hotel, the neighbouring caravan park and the adjacent dune system.
The community estimates the project will cost approximately $150,000 for engineering design, earthworks, plant hire and construction labour; quarried rock, core material and geotextile fabric, and contingency for weather delays and site conditions to build the seawall.
In just four days, supporters have contributed more than $40,000, including a $20,000 anonymous donation made outside the GoFundMe campaign.
Glen Trebilcock, owner of Lancelin Sands Hotel, has had enough of waiting.
“It’s ridiculous; anywhere else and no worries at all, it would have been rectified or dealt with a long time before now,” Trebilcock said to PerthNow.
“However, WA’s adventure playground has just been left to its own devices,” he continued.
Residents say the erosion extends well beyond the immediate threat to the Lancelin Sands Hotel, with concerns growing about its impact on the nearby caravan park, local property values and the confidence of retirees who are now questioning whether it is time to sell their homes.
A spokesperson for the Shire of Gingin said any proposal to construct a seawall would need approval from several government agencies before work could begin.
Trebilcock intends to pursue the necessary permits.
The Shire said it is prepared to support the process, noting that responsibility for assessing and approving coastal protection projects is shared between the council, the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure, as well as the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage.
“The Shire is committed to trying. Whether individual buildings can be protected depends on site-specific engineering,” said the spokesperson.
“These matters require detailed technical assessment and are not matters that the Shire can determine in isolation.”
A state government spokesperson said any decisions regarding coastal protection measures are made following technical assessments, planning processes and the required approval pathways.
They said the state had already provided $150,000 in emergency funding this year and continues to assist the Shire of Gingin through the CoastWA program, which offers financial support alongside coastal data, technical advice and planning expertise.
