Three-time world bodyboard champion, Port Macquarie's Damian King, grew up surfing the breakwall.

It's a very special and unique wave that the Port Macquarie breakwall produces, I have never seen anything like it around the world," he said.

"It's been promoted not only in Port Macquarie, but in NSW and Australia, and even around the world.

"It helped me do what I did and helped the generation before me and after me."

The NSW government plans to upgrade the breakwall, which runs along the Hastings River, to repair and stabilise the structure, and meet current safety and accessibility guidelines.

here is concern among the surfing community that the work will result in a change to the shape at the end of the wall and impact the iconic surf break.

"If they follow the plan proposed I think it will change the water flow and change the sand, and we will lose what we have," King said.

The government is seeking public feedback on the proposal, and a crowd from the surfing community turned out to a community session this week.

A crowd, including concerned members of the surfing community, turned out to a consultation session about the Port Macquarie breakwall upgrade.(Supplied: Damian King)

Scott Lawrence with Port Macquarie Boardriders said changes to breakwalls in other areas had impacted surf breaks.

"We have had some feedback from other spots like the Tuncurry breakwall and Ballina breakwall, where they have altered the front of the walls and [riders say] it has ruined the wave that had been there," he said.

Is the breakwall wave under threat?

Professor Rob Brander, a beach safety researcher from the University of New South Wales, said he believed the surf break would not be overly affected.

"Anytime you build anything on the coast, and you modify the shape of something, it's always going to have some feedback effect on the waves and the currents," he said.

"But having said, that looking at the design it's not too much different than what's in place.

"I think by extending it and widening it, it will probably will just shift the break.

"It will probably be different. Maybe it will be a little bit worse, maybe it will be a little bit better. But I still think you're going to get some good waves there."

In a statement, a Transport for NSW spokesperson said "The proposed rock placement does not extend into the adjacent river or into the ocean bed" and the "Footprint of the head of the breakwall will remain unchanged".

Story By | Luisa Rubbo, Madeleine Cross & Emma Siossian

Video #2 | By Jemma Pepper