Latest news with #GlenTrebilcock
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Entire WA town could be washed away, homes & lives at risk
An entire Aussie town is at risk of being completely washed away by aggressive coastal erosion, which has stripped more than 25m of land over the past year and put homes and lives at risk. The scenic coastal town of Lancelin is in crisis, with locals saying more than 10m of land has vanished since May due to the erosion process. In some of the worst-hit parts of the coastline, more than 25 metres have been lost over the past year. The once-popular fishing and holiday destination, located 125km north of Perth, is now fighting to hold onto what remains of its beachfront. Glen Trebilcock, owner of the Lancelin Sands Hotel, has launched a petition calling on the Western Australian Government to provide immediate emergency funding and technical support. 'Without immediate intervention, the safety of the foreshore and the integrity of essential coastal infrastructure remain at serious risk,' he said. 'We strongly believe that a retreat is not a viable solution.' Locals say the coastline of Lancelin, north of Perth, is at risk of disappearing. 7News Credit: Supplied Lancelin Sands Hotel owner Glen Trevilcock is worried about the coastal erosion impacting his hotel. 7News Credit: Supplied The petition, signed by more than 900 people, was submitted to the WA Legislative Council. 'The Shire of Gingin, as a small regional local government, has a limited rate base and lacks the technical capacity and financial resources required to effectively manage and mitigate the impacts of this erosion,' the petition said. 'We therefore ask the Legislative Council to urge the State Government to support the Shire of Gingin and community of Lancelin with emergency funding and specialist technical assistance in response to this urgent and unforeseen environmental challenge.' Shire of Gingin President Linda Balcombe has also appealed directly to WA Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti, though she says the shire has yet to receive a response. 'We're not asking for millions of dollars at the moment, we're just asking for a little bit of financial assistance,' Ms Balcombe told 7News. 'We're a very small shire with only about 6000 ratepayers and we've got a big coastline that we have to protect.' Locals are pushing for the state government to assist. 7News Credit: Supplied Tourism, a key part of the local economy, is also suffering. Mr Trebilcock told 7News six tour groups that once passed through daily have now stopped coming altogether. A popular seaside lookout near his hotel is also scheduled for demolition next week due to safety concerns. The WA Government told 7NEWS it is 'aware of the issues and is actively looking at options to assist'.
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Fears entire town could be washed away
An entire Aussie town is at risk of being completely washed away by aggressive coastal erosion, which has stripped more than 25m of land over the past year and put homes and lives at risk. The scenic coastal town of Lancelin is in crisis, with locals saying more than 10m of land has vanished since May due to the erosion process. In some of the worst-hit parts of the coastline, more than 25 metres have been lost over the past year. The once-popular fishing and holiday destination, located 125km north of Perth, is now fighting to hold onto what remains of its beachfront. Glen Trebilcock, owner of the Lancelin Sands Hotel, has launched a petition calling on the Western Australian Government to provide immediate emergency funding and technical support. 'Without immediate intervention, the safety of the foreshore and the integrity of essential coastal infrastructure remain at serious risk,' he said. 'We strongly believe that a retreat is not a viable solution.' Locals say the coastline of Lancelin, north of Perth, is at risk of disappearing. 7News Credit: Supplied Lancelin Sands Hotel owner Glen Trevilcock is worried about the coastal erosion impacting his hotel. 7News Credit: Supplied The petition, signed by more than 900 people, was submitted to the WA Legislative Council. 'The Shire of Gingin, as a small regional local government, has a limited rate base and lacks the technical capacity and financial resources required to effectively manage and mitigate the impacts of this erosion,' the petition said. 'We therefore ask the Legislative Council to urge the State Government to support the Shire of Gingin and community of Lancelin with emergency funding and specialist technical assistance in response to this urgent and unforeseen environmental challenge.' Shire of Gingin President Linda Balcombe has also appealed directly to WA Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti, though she says the shire has yet to receive a response. 'We're not asking for millions of dollars at the moment, we're just asking for a little bit of financial assistance,' Ms Balcombe told 7News. 'We're a very small shire with only about 6000 ratepayers and we've got a big coastline that we have to protect.' Locals are pushing for the state government to assist. 7News Credit: Supplied Tourism, a key part of the local economy, is also suffering. Mr Trebilcock told 7News six tour groups that once passed through daily have now stopped coming altogether. A popular seaside lookout near his hotel is also scheduled for demolition next week due to safety concerns. The WA Government told 7NEWS it is 'aware of the issues and is actively looking at options to assist'.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
‘A retreat is not a viable solution': Entire town at risk of coastal collapse after losing 25m of land over a year
An entire Aussie town is at risk of being completely washed away by aggressive coastal erosion, which has stripped more than 25m of land over the past year and put homes and lives at risk. The scenic coastal town of Lancelin is in crisis, with locals saying more than 10m of land has vanished since May due to the erosion process. In some of the worst-hit parts of the coastline, more than 25 metres have been lost over the past year. The once-popular fishing and holiday destination, located 125km north of Perth, is now fighting to hold onto what remains of its beachfront. Glen Trebilcock, owner of the Lancelin Sands Hotel, has launched a petition calling on the Western Australian Government to provide immediate emergency funding and technical support. 'Without immediate intervention, the safety of the foreshore and the integrity of essential coastal infrastructure remain at serious risk,' he said. 'We strongly believe that a retreat is not a viable solution.' The petition, signed by more than 900 people, was submitted to the WA Legislative Council. 'The Shire of Gingin, as a small regional local government, has a limited rate base and lacks the technical capacity and financial resources required to effectively manage and mitigate the impacts of this erosion,' the petition said. 'We therefore ask the Legislative Council to urge the State Government to support the Shire of Gingin and community of Lancelin with emergency funding and specialist technical assistance in response to this urgent and unforeseen environmental challenge.' Shire of Gingin President Linda Balcombe has also appealed directly to WA Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti, though she says the shire has yet to receive a response. 'We're not asking for millions of dollars at the moment, we're just asking for a little bit of financial assistance,' Ms Balcombe told 7News. 'We're a very small shire with only about 6000 ratepayers and we've got a big coastline that we have to protect.' Tourism, a key part of the local economy, is also suffering. Mr Trebilcock told 7News six tour groups that once passed through daily have now stopped coming altogether. A popular seaside lookout near his hotel is also scheduled for demolition next week due to safety concerns. The WA Government told 7NEWS it is 'aware of the issues and is actively looking at options to assist'.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
The popular tourist town about to be wiped from Australian maps as unstoppable force slowly destroys it
A coastal town popular with tourists for its spectacular beaches and fishing is at risk of being wiped off the map by severe erosion. Residents of Lancelin, about 125km north of Perth, have spent years pleading for emergency intervention after their town was identified as one of 55 erosion hotspots in Western Australia in 2019. But their desperation reached a new high after poor weather conditions exacerbated the issue with 10metres of land lost to the sea since May. As the sand continues to fall away, thousands of locals and business owners are facing the loss of their homes and livelihoods. Lancelin Sands Hotel owner of three years Glen Trebilcock was warned his pub, overlooking the beach, would come roughly half a metre closer to the sea each year. However, the recent uptick in erosion has seen his business come dangerously close to the shoreline - years ahead of schedule. 'Without immediate intervention, the safety of the foreshore and the integrity of essential coastal infrastructure remain at serious risk,' Mr Trebilcock told 7News on Saturday. 'We strongly believe that a retreat is not a viable solution.' A petition for the state government to provide emergency funding and specialist technical assistance has received 800 signatures. Gingin Shire President Linda Balcombe wrote to WA Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti on behalf of her 6,000 ratepayers, but hasn't heard anything back. 'We're not asking for millions of dollars at the moment, we're just asking for a little bit of financial assistance,' Ms Balcombe said. Including the massive loss of land in the last few months, Lancelin has lost more than 25metres of coastline to erosion in the last year. The loss includes the community-built lookout which has been ruled a safety risk. It's set to be torn down next week after being a source of town pride for several decades. The crisis is already affecting the town's tourist market. 'Six tour companies that used to come through every day, they've all disappeared. They bypass and they just go directly up to Jurien (Bay),' Mr Trebilcock said. Former WA opposition leader Shane Love has repeatedly called for government intervention. 'North Lancelin erosion demands urgent action,' he said last week. 'I raised a grievance in Parliament on May 22, and followed up again in Budget Estimates a fortnight ago - and still no action from the Minister. 'I've said it before, and I'll say it again: the State Government must step up with emergency funding and a rapid response.' The WA Government told 7News it is 'aware of the issues and is actively looking at options to assist'.
7NEWS
4 days ago
- 7NEWS
Lancelin locals trigger alarm on coastal erosion as coastline washes away and wild weather predicted
A popular Aussie fishing and tourist town has pleaded for help as an aggressive ocean washes away their tiny coastal home before their eyes. The erosion crisis in Lancelin, 125km north of Perth, has worsened since 7NEWS visited just over two months ago and cast a major cloud over the future of the getaway known for its white sand and relaxed seaside lifestyle. Locals say more than 10m of land has vanished since May and they seriously fear for their homes and businesses. Anxiously watching the shoreline inch towards his pub, Lancelin Sands Hotel owner of three years Glen Trebilcock has pleaded for emergency funding and specialist technical assistance from the state government in a petition supported by 800 signatures. 'Without immediate intervention, the safety of the foreshore and the integrity of essential coastal infrastructure remain at serious risk,' he said. 'We strongly believe that a retreat is not a viable solution.' The local shire has also written to WA Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti for help but says they are yet to hear back. 'We're not asking for millions of dollars at the moment, we're just asking for a little bit of financial assistance,' Gingin Shire President Linda Balcombe told 7NEWS. 'We're a very small shire with only about 6000 ratepayers and we've got a big coastline that we have to protect. 'If we're protecting private businesses and private houses we also need to come up with a model that everybody's putting something into this — shire, landowners and the state, and even federal government. It's an Australia-wide problem.' Balcombe said more than 25 metres of coastline had been eaten up in some of the worst-hit places in the last year. 'Of course (the locals) are nervous. They live here, there's a lot of value in their properties (and) angst if they're going to get inundated,' Balcombe told 7NEWS. 'I don't blame them.' Thousands of tourists are drawn to Lancelin's white sand and picturesque water every year, but Trebilcock said the erosion issue that threatens to swallow up their slice of paradise is having an impact on visitor numbers. 'Six tour companies that used to come through every day, they've all disappeared. They bypass and they just go directly up to Jurien (Bay),' he told 7NEWS. A lookout that has sat by his hotel for decades and is a sought-after stop with international selfie-hunters will be torn down next week due to safety concerns. Former WA opposition leader Shane Love said he had raised a grievance in parliament and followed up again in budget estimates. 'I've said this a number of times in parliament already, the state government need emergency funds and the ability to respond urgently,' he said. The WA Government told 7NEWS it is 'aware of the issues and is actively looking at options to assist'. A weekend cold front set to smash the coast and threatens to eat further into the remaining waterfront. 'The seas will really pick up. We're expecting quite high swells ... well up over five metres behind the system as well,' Bureau of Meteorology WA manager James Ashley said. Some experts fear there is little that can be done at this point. 'In the case of Lancelin, it's built in the wrong place. It's built in an eroding coastline,' UWA coastal oceanography professor Charitha Pattiaratchi told 7NEWS in May. 'It's probably controversial — [but the best thing to do would be] retreat, do nothing.'
