Climate change will undoubtably impact Australian coastal regions; however, the extent of climate change’s influence on the coastline remains unknown. Through comparative case studies, differences in social-ecological vulnerabilities and governance responses in coastal regions can be explored.
Case sites were selected based on the rate of social change such as population growth in suburbs of local government areas over the past 10 years. The sites enable comparison between jurisdictions (ie states/territories).
Case study sites include:
- Shellharbour NSW (Shellharbour-Flinders)
- Surf Coast VIC (Torquay)
- Sunshine Coast QLD (Caloundra West)
- City of Onkaparinga SA (Seaford)
- Rockingham WA (Baldivis)
- Kingborough TAS (Margate–Snug)
- City of Darwin NT (Lyons)
A comparative review of the case study sites provides a snapshot of their biophysical and socio-economic characteristics.
Table 1: Comparative vulnerability to environmental hazards
| Darwin NT | Sunshine Coast QLD | Shellharbour NSW | Surf Coast VIC | Kingborough TAS | Onkaparinga SA | Rockingham WA | |
| Coastal erosion | Low-Med | High | Low-Med | Low-Med | Med-High | Med | Low |
| Sea level rise inundation | High | High | High | Med | Low |
Low |
Low |
| Flood | Low | Med | Med | Low | Low | Low | Low |
| Bushfire | Low | Med | Low | High | Med | Low | Low |
| Storm | High | Low | Med | Low | Low | Low | Low |
| Earthquake | Med | High | High | High | Low | High | Med |
| Tropical cyclone | High | High | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Table 2: Socio-economic condition relative to national average
| Darwin NT | Sunshine Coast QLD | Shellharbour NSW | Surf Coast VIC | Kingborough TAS | Onkaparinga SA | Rockingham WA | |
| Averaged socio-economic status | High | Med-High | Low | High | High | Med | Med |
| Economic diversity | Med | High | High | Mod | High | High | Med |
| Rental Stress | Med | High | Med | Low | Low | Med | Med |
| Unemployment | Low | Med | Med | Low | Low | Med-High | High |
| Proportion of single parent families |
Low |
Med | High | Low | Med | High | Med |
| Proportion of lone person households | Med | Med | Low | Low | Med | Med | Low |
| Volunteering rates | Med | Med | Low | High | High | Mod | Low |
| Health (Type II diabetes) | Med | Low | Med-High | Low | Low-Med | Med-High | Med |
| Level of government social support | Low | Med | High | Low | Low | Med | Med |
| Seasonal tourist visitation levels | Low | Med-High | Low | High | Low | Not Available | Low |