Coastal Resilience
Foundations.

Establish a solid foundation in coastal resilience with expert guidance and real-world case studies.

Register now

  • 18–20 August 2027
  • 8:30am-4:30pm
  • Gold Coast
  • From $695 · early bird closes 30 June 2027
Coastal Resilience Short Course Level I

Registrations

Early-bird rate for Coastal Resilience Level I, Gold Coast. Closes 11:59 pm AEST, 30 June 2027.

Early-bird pricing closes 30 June 2027. Registrations continue after that at the standard rate.

After 30 June 2027

  • In person, per person$2,195
  • Live stream, per person$795
  • Group of 3 or more from one organisation, in person, per person$2,085
  • Group of 3 or more from one organisation, live stream, per person$755
  • Level I + Level II Pathway, in person$3,795

All prices include GST.

In person, per person incl GST$1,995
Live stream, per person incl GST$695
Level I + Level II Pathway, in person, incl GST$3,795
Group of 3 or more from one organisation, in person, per person incl GST$1,895
Group of 3 or more from one organisation, live stream, per person incl GST$660
Total$0

Prefer to pay by invoice? See the purchase order request page or email admin@apter.au.

*Pathway pricing is available for participants who register for both the Level I and Level II Coastal Resilience courses. Select this option to secure both courses at the discounted combined rate. All prices include GST.

*The group rate applies when three or more people from the same organisation register for the same course. Select it for each person in the group. It is 5% off whichever price is open, early bird or standard. All prices include GST.

How to attend

In person

  • All three days, including the coastal field day
  • Workshops and case work with your group
  • Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea for in-person participants
  • 22 structured learning hours

Live stream

  • Days 1 and 3 as they run
  • Course materials and available session recordings
  • Day 2 is in the field and is not streamed
  • 12 structured learning hours

The course runs subject to minimum enrolment. If Apter postpones or cancels it, you choose a full refund or a transfer.

Why this course

Coastal decisions often require knowledge beyond any one discipline. A planner needs to assess a hazard study. An engineer is asked whether a seawall is appropriate. An asset manager is responsible for a road exposed to erosion. Level I builds the shared foundation needed to work through these questions.

The course has run since 2013 and has trained over 600 practitioners from every Australian state and territory, New Zealand and the Pacific, with editions in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Chile.

Who it is for

  • Coastal and environmental planners in local and state government
  • Engineers and scientists new to coastal work
  • Coastal managers and natural resource practitioners
  • Infrastructure and asset managers with exposed assets
  • Consultants and advisers
  • Researchers and specialists moving into coastal roles

The course brings together practitioners from councils, state agencies, consultancies and universities. Learning from different professional perspectives is part of the experience.

What you will be able to do

  1. Explain the key drivers of coastal risk and resilience on developed coastlines
  2. Interpret hazard and risk information for planning and management
  3. Apply structured decision-making approaches under uncertainty
  4. Identify and assess coastal adaptation options
  5. Relate course concepts to your own role, organisation and area of practice

What you take back

  • A shared understanding of coastal processes, hazards and risk to use with engineers, planners and councillors
  • A structured way to read a coastal hazard study and ask better questions of it
  • A coastal intervention concept developed with your group against a real case
  • A first look at how AI tools apply to coastal management work
  • Course materials and available session recordings in your learn.apter.au course space
  • A Certificate of Completion stating 22 structured learning hours in person, or 12 by live stream
  • A national peer group of coastal practitioners

Programme

  1. Day 1

    Coastal foundations

    Build a shared understanding of coastal systems, hazards and risk, ready to apply during the coastal field day and the management sessions on Day 3.

    • Coastal systems and processes
    • Waves, sediment, erosion and shoreline change
    • Coastal hazards and climate drivers
    • Foundations of coastal engineering
    • Risk, exposure, vulnerability and adaptation
    • Evidence, monitoring and uncertainty
    • Field-day briefing and the first half of a co-design workshop on a coastal intervention

  2. Day 2

    Coastal field day

    A full day examining coastal processes and management on the Gold Coast. At each site, consider what is happening, what response was chosen, what evidence informed it and what risk remains.

    • What processes are operating, and what is exposed
    • The management problem that existed and the evidence behind the response
    • Engineering, planning and nature-based options, and the trade-offs made
    • Residual risk and how performance is monitored
    • Field themes include sand bypassing, coastal protection, dune management and beachfront development; the final itinerary will be confirmed before the course

    In person only. Lunch is in the field.

  3. Day 3

    From risk to management

    Understanding becomes decisions: assessment, options and their costs, policy, engagement and implementation.

    • Field-day debrief
    • Coastal risk assessment and interpretation
    • Coastal planning and policy in Australia and around the world
    • Coastal hazard planning in practice: the Gold Coast experience
    • Engaging stakeholders
    • How to use AI technology in coastal management
    • Second half of the co-design workshop: groups present their intervention

Instructors

Previous contributors include the following coastal researchers, engineers and practitioners.

  • Dr Marcello Sano

    Founder and instructor, Apter

    Coastal systems, hazards, risk and adaptation; coastal management around the world; applied AI in professional practice.

    LinkedIn

  • Prof Rodger Tomlinson

    Emeritus Professor, Griffith University

    Coastal processes and hazards, coastal entrances and lagoons. Founding director of the Griffith Centre for Coastal Management.

    LinkedIn

  • Prof Amir Etemad-Shahidi

    Coastal engineering, Griffith University

    Foundations of coastal engineering.

    LinkedIn

  • Daniel Rodger

    Coastal engineer, JB Pacific

    Coastal protection approaches and what they cost.

    LinkedIn

  • Pradesh Ramiah

    Queensland Government

    Coastal hazard planning, with the Gold Coast as the case.

    LinkedIn

  • Bobbie Corbett

    International Coastal Management

    The Narrowneck artificial reef and coastal protection at Main Beach, on site.

    LinkedIn

These contributors taught in August 2026 and are listed for reference, not as a confirmed 2027 faculty. The 2027 teaching team will be announced once confirmed.

What is included

  • Expert-led classroom sessions on Days 1 and 3, with the coastal field day included for in-person participants
  • The full-day coastal field day, for in-person participants
  • Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea for in-person participants
  • Course materials and available session recordings on learn.apter.au
  • Certificate of Completion

Questions

Can I register for Level I and Level II together?
Yes. The registration options on this page include a Level I and Level II pathway, in person, at a combined price below the two courses bought separately.
Is there any preparation?
No pre-reading is required. If you have a coastal problem from your own work, bring it along. It will help you connect the field examples and workshop to your role.
What does a live-stream seat include?
Days 1 and 3 as they run, course materials and available session recordings, and a certificate stating 12 structured learning hours. Day 2 is in the field and is not streamed.
Do I keep the materials after the course?
Yes. Your course space on learn.apter.au includes slides, readings and available session recordings. Access is time-limited; the access dates are provided in your course invitation.
Can my organisation pay by invoice or purchase order?
Yes. Pay by card at checkout, or use the purchase order request page and we will raise a tax invoice. Finance teams that prefer email can write to admin@apter.au. A tax invoice is provided either way, and there is no booking fee.
How does the group rate work?
Three or more people from one organisation registering for the same course can use the group rate. It is calculated as 5% off the current early-bird or standard price, then rounded down to the nearest $5. Select the group option for each eligible participant. It applies to in-person and live-stream places where offered, but cannot be combined with pathway pricing or another discount.
What if I cannot attend after registering?
Contact admin@apter.au as soon as you know. A suitable colleague can usually take your place at no additional cost if you notify us before the course starts. Under our terms, cancellations more than 21 days before the course may receive a refund less non-recoverable fees or committed costs. Between 8 and 21 days, a transfer or credit may be offered, but a refund is not guaranteed. Refunds are generally unavailable within 7 days. Please read the full cancellation terms at www.apter.au/terms.
What if Apter postpones or cancels the course?
Every course runs subject to minimum enrolment. If Apter postpones or cancels, you choose a full refund or a transfer to the next course. Please wait until we confirm in writing that the course will proceed before booking non-refundable travel or accommodation.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes. After the course you receive a Certificate of Completion with a credential ID and a permanent verification link on apter.au, which you can add to LinkedIn from the email. It states 22 structured learning hours in person, or 12 by live stream. Your professional body determines whether and how these hours count towards its CPD requirements.
Where is the venue?
The room we use is at Griffith University Gold Coast Campus.
I have dietary or accessibility requirements.
Contact admin@apter.au as early as possible so we can discuss your requirements and available arrangements.

Register

18–20 August 2027, Gold Coast. From $695 per person, GST included. Early bird closes 30 June 2027.

Register now

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What practitioners say

From participants in the Coastal Resilience Short Course.

We were deeply impressed by this comprehensive and practical course. It provided essential knowledge that we hope to implement in our national forecasting strategies. Thank you for your valuable guidance and support.
Tom NatickMinistry of Climate Change, Vanuatu
An excellent opportunity to network with like-minded professionals and learn from leading experts. I have taken back a wealth of knowledge to my council and made contacts that will support my work into the future.
Bronson SymmondsAlexandrina Council, South Australia
An eye-opening and transformative experience. The Coastal Resilience Short Course reshaped how I approach coastal planning — moving beyond technical fixes to embrace systems thinking, meaningful community engagement, and long-term adaptation. I left the course with practical tools, renewed clarity, and a stronger sense of purpose in my role.
Dayane Barros Da SilvaCity of Gold Coast, Queensland

Get in touch

Ask about a course, in-person training for your team, or a partnership. We usually reply within one business day.