THE Hunter Region has three problem areas, where the coastal movement of sand is causing disruption to human activity.
At Stockton, which for some time now has grabbed the lion's share of the political attention, the problem is erosion, attributed in general to 200 years of "improvements" to the mouth of the Hunter River, which have interfered with the general equilibrium that still exists along most of the east coast, even if the impending threat of rising sea levels presents a longer-term concern.
At Swansea, the various alterations to the mouth of the estuary have led to a dramatic shallowing of the area where the channel meets the broad expanse of Lake Macquarie, all but blocking the movement of deep-keeled yachts from the lake to the ocean.
The third well-publicised region of instability is at Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest. In one part of the narrow Winda Woppa peninsula, erosion threatens waterfront housing along the innermost section of Jimmys Beach.
At the same time, sand buildup a short walk away around Corrie Island and the mouth of the Myall River is creating similar navigational problems to those at Swansea.
Perhaps more alarmingly, the sand-filled mouth means the Myall River no longer flushes as it once did.
Fresh to brackish water flows down from the extensive Myall Lakes to the north, without the countervailing pressure of a dynamic tidal flush from Port Stephens.
It's a complicated system, to be sure, but such situations can be improved with a sustained program of dredging and sand pumping, if the will is there.
The same can be said for Swansea, where sand dredged from the lake could replenish the beach at Blacksmiths.
At Stockton, as Herald readers know all too well, the political back and forth continues, with far less progress than could otherwise be expected, given the promises made over the years.
Indeed, all three hot spots have suffered from a surfeit of promises and a subsequent lack of satisfactory action.
Swansea by itself is not enough, apparently, to justify a full time dredge.
But the three locations, treated and funded together, may well be.
History tells us to expect a flurry of promises in the lead-up the March 25 state election.
Whatever the pledges are, they have to be more than just dusted-off versions of whatever was offered last time.
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RELATED READING: the Herald's full SAVE OUR STOCKTON file
