Clontarf Bantry Bay Estuary Management Plan

On 12 May, 2008 Manly Council adopted the Clontarf/Bantry Bay Estuary Management Plan.

This is a strategic plan with a long-term time frame of 15-20 years and has a firmed up implementation program of 5 years. The Plan has been prepared in response to legislative requirements and community issues, with a focus on best practice for the management of coastal and estuary foreshores.    

The EMP addresses a portion of Middle Harbour (Port Jackson) estuary and foreshore that aligns with Manly LGA between Castle Rock Beach north-west to the start of Garigal National Park at Bantry Bay. The study area extends both seaward and landward from the shoreline to include rocky intertidal platforms, sandstone cliffs, sandy beaches, seawalls, grassed recreational areas, swimming enclosures, part of the Manly Scenic Walkway, bushland, as well as commercial, retail and residential areas. 

• Map of Study Area (1.27 MB)

Extensive community consultations have been undertaken.  Council has received a total of 120 completed survey forms and many other contributions. Responses were used in formulation of the Estuary Management Plan.

Nine broad based key issues were identified.

• Water quality and pollution
• Estuary use
• Aquatic/intertidal habitat conservation & management;Access 
• Bushland/terrestrial habitat conservation & management
• Foreshore infrastructure & facilities 
• Sedimentation & beach erosion 
• Hazards & risks including climate change 
• Heritage conservation & management
• Monitoring

Following the Planning Process recommended in the NSW Estuary Management Manual, three documents were prepared sequentially: Estuary Processes Study (EPS), Estuary Management Study (EMS) and finally Estuary Management Plan (EMP). 

The Estuary Processes Study describes the ‘baseline condition’ of the Clontarf / Bantry Bay estuary.  The study report contains 10 key chapters titled introduction, study area, natural environment - physical processes, natural environment - ecological processes, human interventions and usage, processes and impacts, interaction between processes, community consultations and key concerns, significance and values of the estuary and data gaps. 

• Part I - Chapters 1 to 5
• Part II - Chapters 6 to 12
• Part III - Appendices

The Estuary Management Study defined goals and objectives to be addressed through management options.  The Study also elaborated on statutory framework, land tenure and institutional environment.

• Estuary Management Study Final Report

The Estuary Management Plan sets 10 goals and 35 objectives to be addressed through 85 management options.  Only 53 of these are new activities. Of these 53, 15 management options are proposed for immediate implementation, 25 within 2 years, 12 within 3-4 years and only 1 at later years. Overall, 22 management options have been rated to have high priority, 56 as medium priority and only 7 as low priority. 

• Strategic Management Options - Executive Summary
• Clontarf/Bantry Bay Estuary Management Plan-Final Report

The implementation of the plan is being overseen by the Harbour Foreshore Management Committee with involvement of representatives from the community, Precincts, Aboriginal Heritage Office, Council’s Scientific Advisory Panel, Council staff and relevant state government agencies, including NSW Maritime, Department of Lands, NSW Department of Primary Industries (Fisheries) and Department of Environment & Climate Change.

Please forward any correspondence or enquiries relating to the implementation of the EMP to:-

The Estuary Management Officer
Manly Council
email:              records@manly.nsw.gov.au
phone:             (02) 9976 1662