The coastal town of Lancelin, Western Australia, is facing an existential crisis as the ocean relentlessly encroaches upon its shores. This crisis is not just about the loss of a beachfront; it's a story of resilience, community spirit, and the complex interplay between nature, human activity, and local governance. The central figure in this narrative is the Lancelin North End Caravan Park, owned by the Screaigh family for 42 years, now threatened by the relentless forces of coastal erosion.
Jan and Gary Screaigh's business is struggling against the same severe coastal erosion that is endangering a popular pub in the town. Their daughter, Sheree O'Neil, paints a grim picture of the situation: "We’re facing losing not only mum and dad’s property, but the whole town really is looking at being washed away. It’s a very low-lying town and once the water comes in, it’s not going to stop in a hurry."
The erosion has carved out over 30 meters of sand in under three years, a pace that is alarming. The public footpath in front of the pristine beach has been partly washed away, and the pub, which is almost the same distance away as the caravan park, has just meters to spare. The crumbling coast has stripped away a chunk of the Screaigh's land, and the situation is dire. Several recent storm surges have brought the erosion to crisis point, eroding the coastline to a level the council had expected in 2050.
Locals and residents are desperate for a solution. They blame heavy dune mining in Lancelin for hastening the coast deterioration. Limesand mining has been taking place in the town for decades, with an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 tonnes of sand mined at the beach every year. The dunes, once towering natural phenomena, are now hardly recognizable, and the coast is eroding at an alarming rate.
The Shire of Gingin held a Special Council Meeting on June 30 to address the “rapid coastal erosion” in Lancelin. Council officers have installed rock bags and hosted a sand nourishment program to deliver 7000 cubic meters of sand as a temporary measure to protect the Lancelin coastline. However, these efforts are seen as only a temporary fix, and residents say an emergency, permanent seawall is the only solution.
A fundraiser has already attracted over $85,000 in donations to save the fore-dune in front of the Lancelin Sands Hotel. However, the council acknowledges the complexity of the issue, stating, "The causes of coastal erosion are complex and require assessment based on scientific evidence and expert technical advice."
The council is attempting to fast-track government help, but the urgency of the situation is clear. Locals like Mike Duxbury warn that the town may only have a matter of months before homes near the shoreline are destroyed. A report commissioned by the council a few years ago predicted that Lancelin was in danger of being inundated by 2070, but it now looks like the crisis could happen much sooner.
The story of Lancelin is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of climate change and the need for urgent action. It also highlights the challenges faced by local governments in managing the complex interplay between human activity, environmental factors, and community resilience. As the ocean continues to swallow the town, the question remains: who will be responsible for the consequences of inaction?
