The breakwall recently received a makeover as part of a NSW Department of Trade and Investment project to repair sections of the wall and create a safer walking environment.

Precision placement of armour rocks from a quarry in Possum Brush ensure the breakwall pathway is now clearly bordered and can sustain the unrelenting impact of waves and in particular, storms.

Project manager Richard Good said repairs to all local breakwalls were an on-going response to the extent and severity of damage caused by storm waves in recent years.

Harrington north breakwall was the last of 10 repair and maintenance projects this year and its $90,000 repair bill was provided by the NSW government's coastal infrastructure program.

"Every year that goes by Mother Nature wreaks havoc on the breakwalls that's a natural process but the breakwall took an extra beating following ex-tropical cyclone Oswald in 2012," Richard explained.

"The waves come in, smash against the wall, move the rock away and it makes the wall settle a little, which is what it is supposed to do because it's a flexible structure.

"We need to maintain it to a certain standard and part of that standard is to ensure that wherever there is a concrete path the rock must be a certain height above the path to ensure it's clearly bordered for people who use it during the day and at night."

Richard said that during the works stage he welcomed comments and suggestions from the community, particularly from the local fishermen.

"Yes, we knew the fishermen weren't happy because they said the fish were off the bite and a couple said that our work buggered up their access," Richard said.

"We try to be fairly sympathetic and so we asked them, tell us where we should put a fishing platform rock. So we do what we can to make it work for the people who use the wall and it helps that our excavator operators are also fisherman!" he laughed.