A lot of the highly built-up beachfronts on Australia's east coast - mostly Sydney and the Gold Coast, but all along the coast - has been subject to dynamic changes for decades. I know beaches all along Sydney's eastern suburbs have had a great deal of work to stop them "moving". At least one bears little resemblance to my childhood memories.

Except beaches are supposed to move. Over time, the land either crumbles and the beach marches inland or the beach gets sand logged and the sea retreats. And that's before trying to account for changes in sea-level.

Sometimes there are noises about updating building regulations to stop more houses being built in such precarious places, but it rarely changes anything.

Wade.