Dam Kings Beach releases salt runoff containment proposal, announces Cham's as founding partner

BYRON SHIRE, 1 September 2026 – Dam Kings Beach today released its Kings Beach Salt Runoff Containment Proposal, a Community Summary Document setting out plans for a coastal containment structure at Kings Beach, in the Broken Head area, to intercept salt runoff from the sand before it enters the ocean.

At present there is no barrier of any kind between the sand at Kings Beach and the ocean. Preliminary estimates, based on beach area, average sand depth and tidal frequency, suggest that in the order of 800 to 850 tonnes of salt may be moving from the beach into the ocean each year. Dam Kings Beach notes that this figure has not yet been independently verified, and that establishing an accurate baseline is one of the first things it is seeking funding for.

"We recognise this is a significant proposal for a much-loved beach, and we don't put it forward lightly," said Dam Kings Beach Chair Denise Whitford. "But salt that enters the ocean doesn't leave it. Right now nobody is measuring what's going in, and we think waiting for clear evidence of harm would mean acting too late."

The proposed works

The proposal is for a reinforced concrete containment wall running the length of Kings Beach, approximately six metres in height above the existing sand level, positioned between the dry sand and the intertidal zone. It includes:

• controlled drainage channels and overflow gates on the beach side;
• a salinity monitoring station mounted on the wall, with data to be made publicly available;
• two designated coastal access points with stairs and handrails;
• native landscaping and interpretive signage.

The estimated cost of the works is $47.2 million, including design, approvals, construction and the first ten years of monitoring and maintenance. Dam Kings Beach will be seeking funding from the NSW and Federal Governments, alongside contributions from private sector partners.

Founding partner

Dam Kings Beach also confirmed Cham's Small Meats & Preservatives as founding partner of the campaign. The family business, established in 1987, has supported Dam Kings Beach since 2019.

"I don't understand all the science, but my nephew sit me down and explain it, and I think, okay, every day the salt is going in the ocean and nobody is watching," said Cham Bellanova, founder of Cham's Small Meats & Preservatives. "That's not right. We been here forty year. You support the community, the community support you."

Petition and consultation

A petition to the NSW Parliament opens today at damkingsbeach.org. Over the coming months, Dam Kings Beach will hold community information sessions, run stalls at local markets and invite written submissions through its website.

The full Community Summary Document is available to download from the Dam Kings Beach website, together with the supporting Technical Note (DKB-TN-001 (DKB-TN-001, PDF)) and Preliminary Environmental Considerations Statement (DKB-ENV-002 (DKB-ENV-002, PDF)).

ENDS

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