Adelaide’s Living Beaches (ALB) (2005 – 2025) is the State government’s long term strategy for managing Adelaide’s beaches. DEW implements the strategy on behalf of the State government and the Coast Protection Board.

A key component of the ALB strategy is to “recycle” sand each year by collecting it from areas where it accumulates (eg. at structures such as harbours and groynes) and shifting it back to areas of erosion. This is done using a system of pumps and pipelines along two sections of the coast (sand pumping), and in other areas by using trucks (sand carting).

Sand carting has been undertaken by the Coast Protection Board since the 1970s to maintain Adelaide’s beaches. DEW administers the procurement of the sand carting works.