With more than 80% of Australians living within a coastal zone and 8% of Australian addresses within three kilometers of the coast, coastal erosion is an issue that is synonymous with Australian life.

While coastal erosion has been moving inland with a gradual creep, recent extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change and the current La Nina phase we’re in have accelerated the process, putting countless homes and properties at stake around the country.

With Sydney beaches recently experiencing extreme swells, we look at what the future of coastal erosion will look like and what we can do.

Image: Shutterstock: EA Given

Produced By: James Murray

Featured In Story: Dr. Hannah Power, Associate Professor at the School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle , and Dr. Mitchell Harley, Senior Lecturer in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering’s Water Research Laboratory, University of New South Wales

First aired on The Wire, Monday 4 April 2022