There are growing calls for the New South Wales Government to declare Newcastle's Stockton Beach a natural disaster.

Key points: Weekend storms have stripped tonnes of sand from Stockton Beach

Weekend storms have stripped tonnes of sand from Stockton Beach Several beachside cabins at risk of being washed away are today being removed

Several beachside cabins at risk of being washed away are today being removed The NSW Government is being urged to declare a natural disaster

NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay said Stockton Beach was the most significant erosion crisis along the New South Wales coast and the Government was failing to take the situation seriously.

Newcastle Council is removing several seaside cabins from its Stockton Caravan Park that are now at risk of being washed into the sea.

Ms McKay said with more heavy weather expected later this week, a large-scale and immediate effort was needed to make the area safe.

"I do think it's important that the Government takes this seriously," she said.

"We have seen erosion, of course, from climate change all along the coast, but nothing as significant as this in NSW.

"It does need urgent government attention."

Cranes brought in to remove cabins

Newcastle Council has acted swiftly to remove several cabins at a caravan park on Stockton Beach after weekend storms. ( Christine Sheridan: ABC Newcastle )

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes inspected the damage yesterday and has written to the Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Emergency Services David Elliott asking for the natural disaster declaration.

She said the need for State Government funding and support was urgent.

"Given that we're preparing for a potential east coast low this weekend, we're actually just managing safety and risk.

"We're decommissioning the cabins most at risk and removing them to try to prevent them being affected by this weekend's weather event," she said.

The cabins are perilously close to being washed into the sea. ( Supplied: Scott Brooks )

"At the same time we'll start looking at how we plan for the future of that site, but our priority at the moment is risk management and safety, as well as continuing our advocacy for a long-term solution from the New South Wales Government.

"A natural disaster declaration will not only help with funding emergency work to clean up from last weekend, but also in the preparation for the weather event we're expecting."

Long-term solution needed

Locals watched on anxiously as a crane was brought in to remove the cabins on Tuesday morning.

Julie Pike, a Stockton resident said sandbagging and trucking in sand to restore the beach were important measures, but it was time for a permanent solution to protect the suburb.

She said she had seen the beach disappear in recent months, including the removal of a local childcare centre that came close to falling into the ocean.

"We're lucky that we had some sand from the council for December and January so the beach was able to be used over the Christmas holidays when we had tourists and all the children were on school holidays," she said.

She said there were different theories about what needed to be done, but she said they just needed the area secured before the weekend.

"We had hoped to have had preventative work done before it came to this. The beach is completely demolished, the caravan park is at risk, the lifesaving club is at risk, everything is at risk now," she said.

Trucking in sand a 'costly solution'

Newcastle Council last week revealed that trucking in sand to replenish Stockton Beach would involve 80,000 truck movements over six years at a cost of more than $52 million.

The measure was suggested by a senior Planning, Industry and Environment representative at a recent community meeting as the only lawful option available to council in the current regulatory environment.

Councillor Nelmes said the recommendation highlighted the need for an urgent review of state legislation regarding offshore sand dredging for beach nourishment, a method successfully used in other Australian states.

Just before Christmas last year, the council organised 500 truck movements over 10 days to deposit 5,500 tonnes of sand on the southern part of Stockton Beach.

Councillor Nelmes said it was doubtful the Stockton community would support an option that would see a six-year sand trucking operation through the suburb.