Coastal Case Studies

Research case studies provide real examples of how coastal issues have been identified and addressed. While each issue is individual to each place and the stakeholders, these case studies may give general guides as to the various ways that applied research may provide solutions. 

Buckland Park Case Study

In 2003, South Australian‐based property developer Vosporos proposed a 100ha residential development at Buckland Park and sought Major Development Status. This initial proposal was rejected by the Governor who made an “Early No” decision under the Development Act 1993 (Government of South Australia 1993) for several reasons. The area was low‐lying and flood prone from the Gawler River; there was also a lack of available potable water and infrastructure to service the development.

Port Boston Case Study

Local councils are under pressure to maintain community services and a population base necessary for economic development. These pressures are more acute for regional councils (Wild River 2006). New property developments situated in desirable coastal areas, following the ‘sea change’ phenomena, are one way of meeting these objectives (Burnley and Murphy, 2004). Point Boston, on the Eyre Peninsula serves as such an example. In the 1990s through a local government Development Plan Amendment, Point Boston was zoned to allow rural ‘lifestyle’ development.

Project Twin Streams

Voluntary property acquisition in a vulnerable coastal community

Waitakere City (population approximately 204,000) is located within the Auckland Regional Council area of New Zealand. The Project Twin Streams area focused on in this case study covers 10,000 hectares of mostly urban residential development intersected by streams draining from the Waitakere Ranges to the west of Auckland and flowing into a number of other streams and the Waitemata Harbour.

Seagrass Watch

Seagrass Watch is an award winning, community-based, habitat assessment program established in Australia in 1998. Seagrass Watch functions as a partnership between local conservation groups, industry, government and various other communities of interest. The key aim is to raise awareness of the condition and trend of near-shore seagrass ecosystems and provide an early warning for major coastal environmental changes.

Tasmania: Derwent Estuary Program

Building institutional capacity to utilise and transfer science into decision-making is a challenge in contemporary coastal zone management. There are fundamental limits, mostly imposed by time and human capacity, to incorporating even the most appropriate and well-targeted science into policy development and planning and management decisions.

References for Coastal Case Studies

Smith, T.F., Carter R.W., Thomsen D.C., Mayes G., Nursey-Bray M., Whisson G., et al. (2009).  Enhancing science impact in the coastal zone through adaptive learning. Journal of Coastal Research. Special Issue 56,
Harvey, N., & Caton B. (2010).  Coastal Management in Australia. 342.
Harvey, N., Clarke B., & Nursey-Bray M. (2012).  Australian Coastal Management and Climate Change. Geographical Research . 50(4), 356-367.
O'Toole, K., Keneley M., & Coffey B. (2013).  The participatory logic of coastal management under the project state: Insights from the Estuary Entrance Management Support System (EEMSS) in Victoria, Australia.. Environmental Science and Policy. 27,