Seawall repair

This is a significant milestone for the project, particularly given the expanded scope made possible by additional funding from both the Federal and State Governments.

Delivered by Buttrose Earthmovers, the seawall works have strengthened and reshaped the coastal defence to better withstand the impacts of erosion and climate change. Key elements of the repair included:

Placing large toe rocks (up to five tonnes) to support the base of the wall.
Installing new, larger armour rocks to replace and reinforce the existing structure.
Reshaping and raising the seawall to include a new crest, helping to break up wave energy and reduce overtopping.

This vital infrastructure work ensures long-term protection of the cliffs and supports safe access for future generations.

In parallel with final seawall activities, the contractor also prepared the base for the new trail, allowing us to streamline the next stage of works and bring forward the overall project timeline.

Site map and truck movements

Previous updates

Seawall repair works are progressing well and on track to be completed by the end of June. This is a major achievement, especially considering the expanded scope of the project, made possible through additional funding secured from both the federal and state governments.

To ensure public safety, a temporary row of rocks has been placed at the southernmost end of Christies Beach, extending to the water’s edge. This serves as a barrier to prevent public access to the active construction site. Signage is also in place, advising beachgoers to avoid approaching or crossing the rocks.

Rocks for the repair work will be stockpiled on this section of the beach, where heavy machinery will also be operating. The temporary barrier has been chosen over fencing due to the high probability of fencing being blown over in strong coastal winds.

For your safety, we ask swimmers and beachgoers to keep a safe distance from the barrier and ongoing construction work when on the beach and in the water.

The seawall repairs are necessary to stop the cliffs from eroding. If the seawall isn’t properly maintained, waves could wear down the cliffs and cause serious damage.

Thanks to extra funding from the Federal and State Governments, this work will ensure the seawall stays strong for many years, meaning no further repairs will be needed in this section for a long time. Here’s what the seawall repairs will include:

Adding large stones (up to 5 tonnes) at the base of the seawall to help hold it in place.
Placing new, larger armour rocks on top of the seawall. These are bigger than the original rocks to better handle future impacts from climate change.
Reshape the seawall to make it taller and add a crest at the top. This new shape will help break up waves and reduce how much water splashes over the wall.

Impacts During Construction

During construction, you can expect:

Around 20 trucks per day delivering large amounts of rock to the site. Since the rocks are big and many are needed.
Trucks to deliver the first load around 7-7.30am and the last load around 4.30pm daily.
Traffic controls in place. Stop/go at times causing minor wait times while trucks are reversing.
Noise from trucks and machinery while the work is happening.
Adjacent car park to be utilised for trucks to safely access the site.
A temporary site office set up nearby.
Some areas closed off to keep the public safe.

The seawall repair is expected to be completed mid-2025.

Learn more by reading our frequently asked questions.

We'll continue to share photos and updates here as the project progresses.

The seawall contractor, Buttrose Earthmovers, is preparing the base for the new path, coordinating this work with completion of the seawall crest. By carrying out this work early, we can streamline the construction process and bring forward the overall completion of the trail.

The City of Onkaparinga has recently appointed Neo Infrastructure, a Lonsdale-based company, to deliver the final stage of the project. This will include construction of the asphalt path, installation of fencing and solar lighting.

These works are scheduled to begin immediately after the seawall repairs are complete and are expected to take approximately six weeks.

Based on this timeline, we anticipate the full trail will be completed and open for the community to enjoy by mid-August.

As part of the final stage, lighting will also be installed near the completed section of asphalt along the currently opened path. During these works, there may be temporary fencing and exclusion zones in place to ensure the safety of all path users. We kindly ask everyone to follow any signage and avoid entering construction areas. This will help keep people safe and minimise disruptions.

We look forward to completing the trail and thank the community for its continued support and patience during the construction period.

We've engaged Buttrose Earthmovers to undertake the first section of seawall repairs, which will begin towards the end of the year.

This timeline allows the boardwalk contractor to complete their work and gives us time to gather the necessary rocks for the repairs.

Our application for additional funding from the Australian Government's Disaster Ready Fund has advanced to the next stage of assessment. If successful, we'll be able to carry out further repair work on the seawall.

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