Sunshine Coast Council has made the decision to work towards the removal of the SS Dicky wreck, as repeated erosion continues to expose its sharp remnants.
The plan was set in motion at today’s ordinary meeting of council when commitment was made towards a permanent solution to make the Dicky Beach foreshore safe for the community and visitors.
Councillors voted unanimously on the plan, which includes removing the majority or all of the wreck.
The meeting acknowledged it could take some time for the plan to be implemented.
Related story: ‘Extremely unsafe’: wreck closes part of beach
In the short term, temporary protection measures have been implemented including an exclusion area 20m each side of the wreck; installation of new signage; increased public warnings from the Dicky Beach Surf Life Saving Club; and map and information flyers being distributed to Dicky Beach Caravan Park and other relevant local businesses.
The Dicky Beach Surf Life Saving Club will notify council of all incidents or hazards related to the wreck.
Sunshine Coast Division 2 Councillor Terry Landsberg said it was a substantial operation to remove the wreck but community safety was council’s top priority.
“In 2015, parts of the wreck were removed following a strict protocol – total removal was considered but as it is very difficult and expensive to do this partial removal was deemed to be the best option at that time,” he said.
“However, the repeated exposure of the wreck due to the natural costal processes and its continued deterioration means we have reached a point where this option needed to be seriously considered for our community’s safety.
“There are strict Queensland Government cultural heritage protocols council needs to follow and it is likely to be a lengthy process.
“Council will work closely with the Department of Environment and Science to ensure all necessary preservation processes are followed.”
Cr Landsberg said the SS Dicky didn’t need to be in place for its historical significance to be remembered.
“A new fantastic interpretive display to learn more about the ship is due to be completed in the coming months in the park dedicated to its name,” he said.
“In the meantime, we request people to take note of the signage and always stay clear of the wreck.”
A full risk assessment was undertaken as part of the decision, which included input from industry experts and Surf Life Saving Queensland (Dicky Beach branch).
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