Noosa Council has selected a contractor to tackle severe erosion along a popular dog beach, in an effort to protect the Noosa Spit.
Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart said urgent action was needed to combat erosion along a section of the Spit, and council would invest significantly to restore the battered shoreline and rebuild the beach.
“These issues aren’t new,” she said via a council media release.
“Noosa Council has been fighting erosion at the Spit ever since it was constructed in the 1970s and it remains an ongoing tussle with Mother Nature,” she said.
“Unfortunately, the erosion has been so severe along the dog beach section recently that substantial work is needed to replenish and bolster the shoreline to protect the Spit.”
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A call for tenders went out last year, with council this week endorsing Hall Contracting as preferred contractor – to be ratified on Thursday – and authorising CEO Larry Sengstock to oversee contract negotiations.
The new contract will include sand nourishment and reprofiling of the beach.
“The project will create two sand plugs – one at each end of the beach – to redirect flowing water away from the shore and back to the centre of the channel,” the mayor said.
This approach is outlined in the council’s Shoreline Erosion Management Plan that establishes the coastal protection regime for the Noosa River Mouth and has been subject to expert independent coastal engineer review.
Acting infrastructure services director Shaun Walsh said the project would see about 16,600 cubic metres of dredged sand used to create the two sand plugs.
“And around 62,650 cubic metres of dredged sand will be used to renourish the eroded beach,” he said.
While the Noosa River entrance channel has constantly changing hydrology, it is hoped that this new channel will improve navigation in the area of the river away from the congested riverbank.
Sand will be dredged from an approved area of the channel.
Council is also working with Maritime Safety Queensland and the preferred contractor to maintain navigation for vessels during the work.
Council pulled the pin on an earlier contract in August as the previously selected contractor couldn’t complete the work by the September deadline stipulated by the state in its works permit.
Work must be finished by September 30 to meet the conditions of the permit issued by the state.
“The permit allows for work to be undertaken between April and September, but we’ve contacted the state seeking permission to begin work earlier to ensure the contractor has ample time to complete the project,” Cr Stewart said.
Hall Contracting has a fleet of 14 dredges at its disposal and has river and port clients across the eastern seaboard of Australia.
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