What is QCoast2100?

Queensland’s coastal communities are already experiencing the impacts of climate change, including sea-level rise, coastal erosion and storm tide inundation. These risks are projectd to become more frequent and severe. With over 70% of the population residing along the coast, it is essential to ensure these areas remain resilient, safe, and sustainable into the future.

To support councils in addressing these challenges, the following needs were identified: 

• Consistent guidance 
• Long-term, strategic planning tools 
• Access to funding; and 
• Expert support 

QCoast2100 was established to assist Queensland’s coastal communities in preparing for and adapting to growing coastal hazards risks. It is designed to be accessible to coastal local governments regardless of their current level of planning, capability and resourcing. 

The purpose of the QCoast2100 program is to: 

• Support local governments to understand, plan for, and respond to current and future coastal hazard risks. 
• Facilitate the development of locally tailored Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategies (CHAS) that balance environmental, social, cultural, and economic considerations. 
• Provide consistent, best-practice guidance and tools to improve decision-making and planning outcomes across Queensland’s coastal regions. 
• Increase community awareness and engagement in coastal adaptation planning. 

Under the QCoast2100 program, high-quality information has been developed to enable defensible, timely and effective decision-making across key areas of planning and operations such as: 

• Land use planning and development assessment;
• Infrastructure planning and management including roads, stormwater and foreshores; 
• Asset management and planning including nature conservation, recreation, cultural heritage values and other public amenities; 
• Community planning; and 
• Emergency management. 

Evolving for the Future

Building on the success of the development of CHAS, QCoast2100 has entered to the next phase in coastal resilience planning. The program continues to provide funding, technical support, and collaborative learning opportunities for councils, with increased focus on implement and integrating actions into local government operations, planning schemes, and investment decisions. 

Beyond practical outcomes, QCoast2100 aims to build knowledge, enhance professional capability, and connect stakeholders —creating a lasting foundation for ongoing, on-ground action to protect Queensland’s iconic coastline.

A Coordinated Statewide Approach

Recognising the challenges faced by local government, the Queensland Government partnered with the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) to create QCoast2100. The program was established to ensure that all coastal councils, regardless of size or resources, had access to essential support to: 

• Understand their current and future exposure to coastal hazards 
• Develop locally appropriate Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategies (CHAS) 
• Embed adaptation into planning, policy, and investment decisions 
• Engage communities and stakeholders in building resilient coastal futures 

Through a proactive, science-based, and collaborative approach, QCoast2100 seeks to protect the environmental, economic, cultural, and social values of Queensland’s iconic coastline - ensuring resilience for generations to come.