LOCALS will soon be able to access a smartphone app offering up-to-the-minute information about surf and weather conditions at the beach, and how busy it is on the sand.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Lake Macquarie City Council announced today that it would develop the world-first smart beaches technology.
The project is aimed at making beaches safer, reducing the risk of coastal drownings, and improving public amenities.
The Australian government has awarded council a $910,000 grant to implement the new system.
Council is developing the technology platform with Northern Beaches Council and University of Technology, Sydney.
Central to the concept is the collection and real-time transmission of information about beach conditions, public amenities, and services.
The information will be made available to the community via smartphone apps and interactive digital displays at the pilot beaches, one in each of the Lake Macquarie and Northern Beaches local government areas.
Sensors installed along the beach will monitor wave and swell movement.
Other sensors will monitor beach activity to gauge when beaches are busiest.
Making news:
Lake Macquarie mayor Kay Fraser said the ultimate aim was to reduce coastal drownings and increase safety awareness.
“This technology will provide our lifeguards and the general public with valuable, real-time information and reporting, helping to create safer beaches for everyone,” Cr Fraser said.
“It is world-first technology which will be developed and trialled over the next 12 months, with the hope to roll it out at the end of the 18-month project, including an app with up-to-the-minute localised beach information, including weather and surf conditions, and how busy the beach is.
“Our local government area includes 32km of spectacular coast and four patrolled beaches, which collectively attract more than 1.4 million people a year so we know such an app will be a popular tool for many of our beach goers.”
Senior research consultant Andrew Tovey, from the UTS Knowledge Economy Institute, said the project was “an exciting opportunity” for all parties involved.
“This project will explore a range of emerging smart technologies and world-leading research in a real-life and quintessentially Australian context,” Mr Tovey said.
“We look forward to working closely with lifeguards and communities to get this new tech working effectively and appropriately to make our beaches safer and more enjoyable than ever before.”
Council’s leisure services manager, Brad Sutton, said the technology would have application on any beaches further afield – around Australia and internationally.
“This Australian Government grant is a wonderful opportunity for Lake Macquarie and the Northern Beaches to lead the pack with smart beaches technology and make our mark on the world stage,” Mr Sutton said.
The concept will complement existing measures employed by both Lake Macquarie and Northern Beaches Council including lifeguards, drone technology, and early shark detection systems, he said.
Other project partners include: Orion Integration, Nokia, Urban Institute, Dantia, NNNCo, Meshed, NSW Data Analytics Centre, Civiq, SUMS, Australian Coastal Councils Association, Australian Professional Ocean Lifeguard Association, Reekoh, Surf Life Saving NSW and Lake Macquarie Tourism.