Long awaited repairs to the eastern Kiama Harbour walkway and retaining wall will begin soon, with the announcement of a $2.1 million upgrade by the NSW Government.

The upgrade work will include new, much higher seawall retaining walls, new street furniture and a seating area, a new accessible ramp, stainless steel handrails and balustrades, and landscaping. The boat ramp and trailer parking area will be retained.

“The upgrade will improve the stability of the seawall and provide stronger protection against storm surges to safeguard Black Beach Reserve,” says a press release from Department of Planning and Environment – Crown Lands.

It has commissioned artwork with Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council that will see a whale pattern embedded as a feature on the seawall.

The existing path and retaining wall

The Department of Planning and Environment - Crown Lands has appointed Land and Marine Ocean Engineering Pty Ltd to deliver the project.

Work is expected to be completed in about four months, depending on the weather.

An artist's impression of the new area