The City of Cockburn’s Coogee Maritime Trail is a finalist in the 2019 Western Australian Coastal Awards for Excellence.
The project is entered in the Coastal Design, Heritage and Tourism category of the Awards.
City of Cockburn Environment Manager Christopher Beaton said the Coogee Maritime Trail (CMT) was developed to deliver environmental and community benefits.
“The Coogee Maritime Trail improves access to our coast, provides Perth with a complementary tourism attraction, showcases local coastal design skills, provides a focal point for community recreation and an opportunity for all ages to learn about our natural world,” Mr Beaton said.
The maritime trail includes access stairs made of lightweight material that go over a limestone seawall to connect the elevated carpark at the Port Coogee development with the rest of the trail.
Land-based interpretive displays were also developed to inform the public of the local culture and maritime heritage.
Under the water, artificial reefs produced locally were established in the area to enhance biodiversity and recreation, and art was added for aesthetic benefit. Additional structures are also planned for the area.
A multi-stakeholder working group was established to help manage the complex CMT program.
Mr Beaton said challenges for the CMT project included sand monitoring to ensure a sand bypass system designed to replenish Coogee beach did not smother elements of the Coogee Maritime Trail.
Another challenge to the project was the frequent use of area by fishers, prompting a social media education program highlighting the reasons why a no-fishing sanctuary was imposed over the Coogee Maritime Trail.
The project also had no precedent and came under multiple jurisdictions, making the approvals process all the more complex, Mr Beaton said.
Winners will be announced on October 1 at the Aquarium of Western Australia (AQWA) as part of the opening event of the 2019 WA State Natural Resource Management (NRM) and Coastal Conference.