Stockton Beach has a long history of coastal erosion impacts that have threatened private and public assets and degraded the usability of the beach.
The NSW Government is addressing the longstanding coastal erosion at Stockton Beach by delivering a sand nourishment program as part of a broader coastal management strategy, supported by the Stockton Coastal Management Program and the Coastal and Estuarine Risk Mitigation Program (CERMP).
The Stockton Special Advisory Panel was formed following the decision to cease the operation of the Stockton Beach Taskforce in late 2024. The decision to cease the taskforce was made by the Minister for the Hunter, the Hon Yasmin Catley MP, who considered that the taskforce had completed its intended remit.
The panel, chaired by Member for Newcastle, Tim Crakanthorp MP, will monitor progress and be consulted on:
- key remaining activities funded under the Coastal and Estuarine Risk Mitigation Program
- the transition from the Coastal and Estuarine Risk Mitigation Program to delivery by the NSW Government of the $21 million mass sand nourishment funding commitment and governance framework
- arrangements to transition to implementation, monitoring and maintenance of mass sand nourishment in the longer term.
Members of the Panel are selected to represent key stakeholder groups and include representatives from the department, NSW Public Works, City of Newcastle Council, the Stockton community, Worimi Registered Aboriginal Parties, and Port of Newcastle.
Up to 3 scheduled meetings are held per year.
Minutes of meetings are available once confirmed by the panel.
| Organisation/group representing | Position | Name |
|---|---|---|
| NSW Parliament | Member for Newcastle | Tim Crakanthorp |
| Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water | Director, Hunter Central Coast (HCC) | Joe Thompson |
| Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water | Senior Team Leader, Water Floodplains & Coast (HCC) | Neil Kelleher |
| NSW Public Works | Director, Hunter New England | Sarah Wylie |
| City of Newcastle | Executive Manager, Environment & Sustainability | Marnie Kikken |
| City of Newcastle | Environmental Strategy Manager | Philippa Hill |
| Worimi Registered Aboriginal Party | Director, NUR-RUN-GEE Pty Ltd | Lennie Anderson |
| Stockton community | Community representative | Ron Boyd |
| Stockton community | Community representative | Barbara Whitcher |
| Stockton community | Community representative | Willow Forsyth |
| Port of Newcastle | Executive Manager, Marine and Operations | Glen Hayward |