East Gippsland Shire Dredging Project Announced

East Gippsland Shire Council will start trial dredging at Mallacoota Ocean Access Boat Ramp in early 2016.

The dredging is part of the shire’s operations as well as maintenance environmental management plan for the boat ramp.

The director of Operations, Chris Waites, said that the cutter suction dredge will be a key component of maintaining access to the boat ramp.

“The dredging works will be in line with the environmental management plan endorsed by the Department of Land, Water and Planning as part of the Coastal Management Act consent for the facility,” Mr Waites said.

“It was hoped that the trial dredging would take place prior to Christmas, but this has been postponed due to unfavorable weather. When we commence the trial in 2016, we predicate there will be interruptions to boating activity during the dredging and a Notice to Mariners will be developed in consultation with Gippsland Ports.”

The dredge spoil will be clean ocean sand only and will be disposed of along the beach to the west of the ramp for a distance of up to 300 meters. Access to this area of beach will be limited during dredging, especially the area between the high and low tide marks.

Periods of dredging are not expected to extend more than three days at a time. Observations of sand movement over the past 12 months indicate there will be a maximum of three to four dredging events each year.