Works to replenish sand on a popular off-leash dog beach have been halted amid challenging environmental conditions and timeframe constraints.
Noosa Council said in a press release it had made the “difficult decision” to stop work on the project at what is known as Doggy Beach at the Noosa Spit, near the Noosa River mouth.
The release said it was decided, in consultation with the contractor engaged to do the project, to stop the dredging work, due to the challenging nature of that section of the river and the likelihood of it not being completed before the permit deadline.
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“The work needed to be completed by late September to comply with the environmental permit and, in discussions with the contractor, it was going to be a challenge to satisfactorily complete the work prior to the deadline,” council’s acting infrastructure services director Bryan O’Connor said.
Under the permit, work could only be conducted from April to September, due to seasonal migratory shorebirds.
The council will continue to investigate options to complete the sand nourishment work when possible.
The section will now reopen to the public. The dog beach and a part of the car park next it closed while the works were being completed.
Walkers, swimmers and all recreational marine craft (powered and non-powered) had been asked to avoid the area.
The $1 million project aimed to pump sand from designated collection zones in the river channel and re-nourish the shores of the area.
“The dog beach at Noosa Spit is an important site supporting key recreational and social activities, and forms part of an artificially constructed river training and coastal defence strategy for the Noosa River mouth,” mayor Clare Stewart said in May when announcing the project.
“Over the years, this defence system has been slowly eroding, seeing trees and pathways washed away.”
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