Ian Morphett is tired of the "armchair experts who come out of the woodwork" every time a big erosion event occurs at Jimmys Beach at Hawks Nest.
The most recent event - described as one of the worst - occurred during last week's heavy seas, big south-easterly swell and strong winds.
Mr Morphett said calls on social media for a 600-metre rockwall to protect the beach and homes along The Boulevarde were "not the answer".
"If you put a rockwall in, the beach would disappear the next time some waves come along and never come back," he said.
"There's been multiple studies done into the problems at Jimmys Beach. They all say the risks of unintended consequences from hard solutions are not acceptable.
"So the council has a strategy of sand renourishment to put sand back on the beach."
Mr Morphett is a member of the Winda Woppa Preservation Association, which encourages the council to continue replenishing the sand.
"And by the way, the sand renourishment has been successful for over 40 years," he said.
"No houses have fallen in. We've had a couple of instances where the road was eroded.
"This is the worst one I've seen, but the road wasn't destroyed - only in one small section."
A MidCoast Council spokesperson said the sand replenishment "provides an erosion buffer to the public infrastructure in the road reserve".
The council said it does this "beach nourishment as required, but generally at least once a year".
It also profiles the sand, so it's "more capable of resisting wave action".
The council uses sand from "state-funded navigational dredging operations in the Myall River".
The council said it had also "protected and reinstated the road following a number of erosion events".
"The most significant was in 2015, when engineered fill was used to reinstate a section of road that had been washed away.
"Council is not obligated to provide any particular level of infrastructure in any road reserve.
"However, considering the urban development in this area, it would be assumed that the minimum level of service is practical property access."
This access would be maintained "while ever it is practical and reasonable to do so".
About 60 beachside homes line The Boulevarde - a millionaires' row on the Winda Woppa peninsula - with an outlook to Port Stephens Bay.
The council said it was "not obligated to protect private land from coastal hazards including erosion".
Historical subdivision plans in the area date back to 1961.
A council spokesperson noted this was "well before the risk of sea level rise and coastal erosion were known, understood and quantified".
The Winda Woppa peninsula was known for its fishing shacks until the 1970s, but was subdivided for housing in the 1960s.
The Land and Environment Court lifted a development suspension there in the 1980s.
The council is working on a plan to "consider future management options for the area".
"Much of Winda Woppa is vulnerable under projected sea level rise scenarios," the spokesperson said.
A council 2016 document said it would consider over the long-term whether sand renourishment at Jimmys Beach was cost-effective, as "sea level and storminess increases".
This would cover "all options, including planned retreat".
Mr Morphett said the council had previously told property owners along The Boulevarde that they may have to move their homes back, away from the road.
Shoal Bay Erosion
Port Stephens Council said on Friday that much of its open coast was damaged last week, but Shoal Bay was worst-affected.
"The formal pedestrian pathway has been damaged," asset manager John Maretich said.
"The informal sand dune pathway, which is a favourite of many local residents, has been washed away."
He added that the foreshore had been assessed.
"Based on our current weather forecast, it's been determined that Shoal Bay Road and nearby trees are not at immediate risk.
"Despite no pressing danger, the ongoing threat to the road from future erosion remains a serious concern for council and the community."
The council asked state agencies to provide funding for repairs, but the damage was classified as "natural erosion rather than a natural disaster".
"This means immediate repair funding is not available."
However, the council said it was "looking to start sand nourishment to help safeguard Shoal Bay Road until more permanent solutions can be delivered".
