A popular dog beach has reopened to the public earlier than expected after works to future-proof the coastal area.
Noosa Council’s sand nourishment project finished two months ahead of schedule at Noosa Spit’s Doggy Beach.
Mayor Frank Wilkie said the beach protected Noosa Sound from storm swells and offered people and their dogs a much-used recreational space.
“Erosion had a significant impact but thanks to council’s project team and contractor, Hall Contracting, the river’s flow has been directed away from this recreational area and the replenished shoreline,” he said.
The Spit is an important part of the area’s coastal defence system, so a key goal of the project was to reinforce the spit to prevent the ocean breaking through during significant storm events.
The critical project involved pumping sand from designated collection zones to restore Noosa Spit and also to realign the main channel.
Earlier this year, the council was given permission from the State Assessment and Referral Agency for sand dredging to occur outside the allowed April to September timeframe.
This was due to concerns regarding the impacts of erosion after the previously selected contractor couldn’t complete the work by its deadline.
In January, Noosa Council announced Hall Contracting as the new contactors after a tender process.
Hall Contracting CEO and director Cameron Hall said his company was pleased to have completed its work well ahead of schedule.
“Noosa Council tasked our team with completing the works by the end of September 2024 to protect seasonal migratory birds and minimise the impact on fish spawning and marine plants,” Mr Hall said.
“We’re proud to have not only met but significantly exceeded that expectation, finalising the project in early July.
“To achieve this, we planned the works carefully around the tides, stockpiling sand and using both a dredge and earthmoving equipment to position it whenever conditions were favourable.”
Mr Hall said the works had involved dredging about 85,000 cubic metres of sand from a dedicated extraction zone.
“Council and Hall Contracting had collaborated with Maritime Safety Queensland to accommodate the needs of recreational boaters throughout the project,” Mr Hall said.
“Ensuring a navigable channel was always accessible was a key priority, and we thank boat users for their support as we carried out these vital works.”
With the nourishment work now complete, the community can once again enjoy this area with improved resilience and protection.
“I would like to extend my gratitude to our team and thank the community for their patience and cooperation throughout the duration of the project,” Cr Wilkie said.
“We’ve been able to complete this project well ahead of the September deadline outlined in the project’s environmental permit, which is great news for our residents who are keen to once again enjoy Noosa Spit.”
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