Media response - Port Willunga cliff collapse

Published on 08 July 2024

Response to the Fleurieu Sun.

• The journalist asked for some comments about a partial cliff collapse at Port Willunga beach.

Comments attributed to Director Operations, Kirk Richardson

A section of cliff located approximately 80m south of 1 Esplanade, Port Willunga, collapsed onto the beach on either the night of Friday 28 June or the morning of Saturday 29 June.

We suspect the combination of extended dry weather, the recent high rainfall and high tides may have triggered this collapse.

We’ve placed some temporary educational signs at the collapse site and will later install more prominent hazard and information signs at nearby beach access points.

We’re currently conducting a geotechnical investigation and risk assessment for the section of cliffs, and we’ll provide a further update once these investigations are complete.

It’s important to note that cliffs can crumble and collapse without warning. The incident is a timely reminder for beachgoers to stay safe when visiting Port Willunga beach.

You can do this by keeping clear of the base of cliffs, not sheltering in caves or cliff overhangs, not climbing the cliffs, following warning signs on the beach, and staying on formal tracks and paths.

The City of Onkaparinga has a long history of proactive coastal adaptation, and we carefully monitor cliffs along our coast as part of our recently launched Coastal Adaptation Plan. A particular focus of this plan is the risk of erosion due to ongoing coastal processes that will be exacerbated by sea-level rise.

ENDS