Youth helping protect foreshore’s future
08 August 2024
The planting is part of Whyalla City Council’s ongoing program to fully vegetate and maintain the foreshore frontal dune between the caravan park and the marina, aiming to protect Whyalla’s beachside assets while creating a perfect habitat for native animals, including birds, lizards, insects and aquatic species.
Together with council representatives, students from Whyalla Stuart Primary School and Samaritan College’s Saint Teresa’s Campus are planting about 2,000 native tubestock.
Mayor Phill Stone said about 50 people helped plant the vegetation and he was impressed by the involvement of local school students.
“It’s great to see our local youth helping care for our natural environment and preserve it for years to come,” Mayor Stone said.
“People often complain about the ‘weeds’ along our foreshore, but this is actually native vegetation that’s critical to mainaining our dune system; minimising sand impacts on nearby residents; and ensuring a healthy beach ecosystem.
“So whenever these students visit the foreshore from now on, they’ll be able to see the difference they’ve made and know that it’s helping maintain our coastline.”
Mayor Stone said the species and location of the plants had been specifically selected based on the role they will play in keeping the existing sand in place.
“This vegetaton resists the effects of southerly winds that cause nuisance sand to blow off the beach, while also working to lock the sand in place so it’s not lost from our frontal dune system, so I trust the community appreciates just how important it is,” he said.
Click here to learn about council’s broader work to maintain sand along the foreshore and its importance to the overall frontal dune system.
