The 'sea change' phenomenon in South Australia

Australia is a highly urbanised country with more than 86% of its population living in the coastal zone. In the last forty years there has been a trend of increasing population growth in non-metropolitan coastal areas. !is increase in non-metropolitan coastal population was raised as an issue in the national coastal zone inquiry conducted by the Resource Assessment Commission (RAC) which noted the rapid population growth in the coastal divisions adjacent to major capital cities between 1971-1991 (RAC, 1993). !e non-metropolitan coasts have consequently experienced an ‘increase in pressure from rising numbers of residents, tourists and recreationists [which] is placing great stress on the activities of all governments, but especially local government’ (Harvey and Caton, 2003, p. 230). Local government has been the driving force behind recent initiatives to undertake research into this phenomenon and to assess the impacts.