Case Study
Communications and Stakeholder Engagement for Bluff Point and Mettams Pool / Watermans Bay Coastal Adaptation Planning
Location
City of Greater Geraldton (Bluff Point) and City of Stirling (Mettams Pool & Watermans Bay), Western Australia
Clients
M P Rogers & Associates (for City of Greater Geraldton & City of Stirling)
Description
361 Degrees partnered with MP Rogers and Associates on two coastal adaptation planning projects: Bluff Point with the City of Greater Geraldton and Mettams Pool and Watermans Bay with the City of Stirling.
Guided by Western Australia’s coastal planning guidelines and best practices in stakeholder engagement, we led an inclusive coastal adaptation planning process that put local people at the heart of decision-making. We brought everyone to the table – local government officials, environmental organisations, long-time residents, business owners, beach users and community groups. A structured Multi-Criteria Analysis process was central to selecting suitable adaptation options. Stakeholders and community members were actively involved in determining the MCA criteria to ensure the analysis accurately reflected their values, priorities and concerns.
To gather input, supported by a tailored programme of communications, we used a variety of engagement techniques, including:
- Stakeholder Reference Group: We facilitated a dedicated group consisting of representatives from key stakeholder organisations, ensuring ongoing dialogue, oversight and integration of diverse perspectives throughout the process.
- Drop-in sessions: We hosted casual “drop-in” sessions where community members could learn about coastal hazard management, ask questions and voice their concerns and ideas.
- Public webinars: Conducted online webinars to explain complex coastal processes in clear, everyday language. This strategic communication approach ensured even technical information was accessible, allowing more people to understand the situation and contribute meaningfully.
- Surveys: We conducted both online surveys and hard-copy surveys at in-person sessions, ensuring comprehensive community input and inclusivity for all participants.
Project Outcomes
Early and ongoing engagement led by 361 Degrees produced tangible outcomes and consensus-driven solutions for both coastal projects. Community input wasn’t (and should never be!) just a box to tick – it directly guided critical decisions on how to protect these coastlines. By managing diverse viewpoints through respectful engagement, we found common ground on sustainable coastal resilience measures that everyone could support. As a result of truly listening to stakeholders:
- At Mettams Pool and Watermans Bay, locals strongly favoured “soft” protection. The plan recommended ongoing sand nourishment (periodically adding sand to the beach) to preserve beach amenities and buffer against erosion, reflecting the community’s wish to maintain a natural look and recreational access.
- At Bluff Point, where infrastructure and homes were at stake, the community ultimately supported “hard” engineering options. The agreed plan includes new groynes and seawalls to shield the shoreline – solutions that residents and experts arrived at together after weighing all the options.
Broad participation meant the final adaptation strategies genuinely reflected local input, creating a sense of local ownership and legitimacy. Transparent communication and continual dialogue increased public understanding of the coastal management challenges, ultimately providing the local governments with not only technically sound coastal adaptation strategies, but also one supported by their communities and key stakeholders.
