Protecting Kingston Beach by Tracing its Past

As part of its leadership on climate change adaptation, Kingborough Council needs your help tracing the natural history of Kingston Beach. Council researchers are exploring the risks and responses to natural hazards in the Kingston Beach area, and need to paint a picture of its recent evolution.

The Council’s Climate Adaptation specialist, Donovan Burton, is asking residents and past residents to share historical photographs and stories of the area. “Kingston Beach is such a precious asset for our community. To make properly informed decisions about its future maintenance and adaptation, we need as much reliable information as possible,” Mr Burton said.

“That means understanding how the beach has changed historically, and how it’s likely to change and need our intervention as the sea level rises. “In particular, we’re really interested in images of any extreme event – for example, flooding of Browns River, a storm surge or storm damage, or 1967 bushfire images near the beach.

“We’re also keen to see any photographs taken before the sea-wall was built, and any images of the storm damage that prompted the wall’s development,” he said. Please send any images or comments to dburton@ kingborough.tas.gov.au (with “Kingston Beach” in the subject line).

The project is part of Kingborough Council’s award-winning Community Resilience program and partly funded under the Natural Disaster Resilience Grants Program.