The proliferation of coastal defences has been observed in many countries. While we are extremely fortunate in Western Australia to have had the benefit of an early setback policy (1970s) and lots of space, it is a challenge moving towards us at breakneck speed. However, there are some ways we can move forward without some of the less obvious pressures for defensive works. While we often blame population growth, increasing use of coastal protection structures is a "bad habit"

Bridges are ‘masterworks’ of civil engineering, requiring structural, geotechnical, hydraulic and traffic engineering to come together....

Unreliably stable, 'soft' rock shores are sometimes neglected from coastal zone policy, and have a playbook of obscure, sometimes contradictory science. A coast-type often suffering from 'esoteric' management, I have seen: policy unable to discriminate between soft rock and sandy shores. counter-productive upper slope stabilisation, and massive revetment construction when a bit of drainage probably would have done the trick... Following Chris Sharples' terminology, soft rock