Maintenance dredging will commence later this month at Bandy Creek Boat Harbour prompting a warning to skippers navigating the area to take extra care.
Department of Transport (DoT) Manager of Coastal Management Charlie Bicknell said the routine operation, undertaken every two years, maintained the channel and ensured safe access to the harbour.
“ Commercial fishing, charter industry and recreational vessels operating from the DoT managed facility and people accessing the beach to east of the harbour need to be aware of the special safety arrangements implemented for the dredging operation, ” Mr Bicknell said.
“The dredge will manoeuvre within the entrance channel and maintain a navigable passage when possible but skippers entering the area should always establish radio communications with the dredge.
“ A floating discharge line lit with yellow flashing lights will extend from the dredge to the adjacent shore for the duration of the dredging works including after normal daily operating times.
“The beach east of the harbour entrance will also be temporarily closed during dredging to allow dredged sand to be deposited on the beach to disperse naturally .”
The dredge will monitor VHF Channel 16, UHF Channel 15 and 27MHz Channel 90 for skippers making contact.
Dredging operations are scheduled for daylight hours from Monday to Saturday and the work is expected to continue until June 2013.
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Press Release, March 18, 2013