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Beach infrastructure

Summary

Quick reference guide for key criteria

Beach front fences and sand blow fences

LIM_BI_fig_quick ref.jpg

Overarching requirements

Embellishments should be designed/selected and installed as follows:

  1. Fit for purpose, appropriately positioned and accessible.
  2. Durable, robust and safe (suitable for corrosive environments).
  3. Vandal resistant with parts that are easily replaceable. 
  4. Easy to maintain (with appropriate warranty and workmanship).
  5. Comply with relevant standards, legislation, corporate documents and approvals

Planning, design and positioning     

  • Protect existing environment by an integrated design approach
  • Factor climate change risks into planning and delivery of infrastructure
  • Refer to 1974 erosion scarp zone historical data together with current data when designing infrastructure in the fore dune area
  • Design facilities to cater for all abilities
  • Turtle friendly fences must be installed in beach front and fore dune areas which are potential turtle hatching sites
  • Marine turtle safe lighting (where required) – Darkness is the best lighting management option at turtle nesting beaches. All designs within 100 meters of a nesting beach must follow the four guiding principles to minimise light impacts on turtles - ‘keep it off, keep it shielded, keep it low, keep it long’.


Beach infrastructure requirements

  • Beach fences
    • Beach Front (type 1) – dune and vegetation protection
    • Fore Dune (type 4) – sand blow area control
    • Beach Access (type 2, 3 and 4) – dune and vegetation protection, directs pedestrian movement
    • Hind Fence (type 3, 4 and 5) – sand catching
  • Lifeguard towers
    • Council (Property Management) standard design
  • Signs
    • beach access signs are numbered north to south
    • other areas - consolidate multiple sign messages to avoid clutter.


Materials

  • Select materials suitable for an exposed marine environment
  • Marine grade stainless steel for a high level finish at high profile/high use sites
  • Aluminium for formal to semi formal sites
  • Beach fences – do not use galvanised wire for any new beach fence.

Note:   Further guidance and clarification of the content on this page, can be found in the relevant sections of this information sheet.

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Sunshine Coast Open Space Landscape Infrastructure Manual (LIM) DISCLAIMER

Disclaimer

Information contained in this document may change without notice and you should use the current material available from Council’s website and not rely on material previously printed or stored by you.

All figures and diagrams are intended to be used as an aid to design and include Council’s preferred elements but they are not intended to be prescriptive and may need to be varied as dictated by site specific factors. While Council has exercised reasonable care in preparing this document, it does not warrant or represent that it is accurate or complete. The Council will not accept responsibility for any loss, damage, cost or expense that you may incur as a result of the use of or reliance upon any material contained in this document.

This document is produced to convey general information and is not intended to constitute advice whether professional or legal. Any reference to legislation in this document is not an interpretation of the law. It is to be used as a guide only. Consult relevant authority websites for current documents, revisions and amendments.

Where a particular product or supplier is profiled in this document, Council is NOT nominating this product or supplier as the selected choice. Product/supplier information has been provided to allow users to source products which contain the correct elements required for Council embellishments. Each product profiled states ‘or equivalent’ which means that different products may be supplied provided they satisfy the identified performance criteria, recommended standards, equal access guidance and product specifications.

Product design, manufacture and installation requires appropriately qualified people to provide site specific solutions to ensure the embellishment is appropriately adapted to local conditions and data.

This document does not override requirements stipulated in a development approval. Project specific variations may be appropriate as a result of site, environmental or other constraints. Any variations to these standards must be approved in writing by council prior to commencement of variation works. Components of this document may be used within a contract document but users should undertake their own investigations to confirm the information is suitable for this purpose.

Drawings contained in this document are NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION.

Details in this document are deemed to be the minimum standard and the user may wish to apply a higher standard subject to approval by council.

Acknowledgements

Council wishes to thank all contributors and stakeholders involved in the development of this document.

Copyright

Sunshine Coast Regional Council (Council) supports and encourages the distribution of its material however, copyright protects this document. Council has no objection to this material being reproduced but only if council is recognised as the owner of the copyright and this material remains unaltered.

https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au[email protected]07 5475 7272

Sunshine Coast Open Space Landscape Infrastructure Manual (LIM)

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© LIM 2024 – 2026

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Version 0.0.38.beta

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Last Updated: 01/04/2026 12:27 AM

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