Five and half reasons why

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", unwittingly supported by some of the ways we undertake coastal evaluations. We can do better...