South Gippsland Shire Council is giving consideration to the Corner Inlet Tourism Development Project. Further discussion will include a recommendation that Council allocates funds of between $1.5 million and $2.1 million as a partnership contribution to the project.
The project consists of four related however distinct developments indicated as Priority Projects.
They are:
– The Great Southern Rail Trail extension from Foster to Welshpool;
– The restoration of the Port Welshpool Long Jetty;
– A feasibility study including detailed design of a marina at Port Welshpool;
– The dredging of the Toora Channel for boating and recreational activities.
The access channel servicing the Toora boat ramp links the boat ramp with the main Toora Channel. Deemed to be an area of National Importance under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, both the boat ramp and the access channel are located within the Corner Inlet Marine and Coastal Park and are also within the Corner Inlet Ramsar Wetland area.
In order to enable the preservation of safe boat launching and retrieval, the access channel requires maintenance dredging. Only small boats are currently using the boat ramp, around one hour either side of high tide, therefore its effectiveness is limited in providing all tide access to Corner Inlet. No dredging has been carried out for some time since the area’s environmental status and the options for a site on which to dispose of dredged material have proven problematic.
It has been argued that the dredging will increase access to the boat ramp what would be of economic benefit to local business in Toora and it would also decrease impacts on the boat ramp at Port Welshpool by providing an alternative venue for small to mid-size boats.
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Dredging Today Staff, November 24, 2011;