Dredging campaign channels support for major industries

Our dredging campaign in the Coomera River, which is supporting safe and navigable waterways access for the Gold Coast’s multi-billion-dollar tourism and marine industries, has passed the half-way mark.

The dredging of an 8 kilometre stretch of the river from Shipper Drive at Coomera to the river mouth near Paradise Point and the Sovereign Islands is almost complete, with only a few areas left to be done.

The campaign is possible because of the recent completion of our Coomera Dredge Sediment Management Facility which was purpose-built to manage fine silty sediment which cannot be used for foreshore nourishment or placed offshore. Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Mark Bailey, opened the Facility on 30 May 2019.

We’ve invested more than $10 million in the Facility and dredging campaign, ensuring safe, navigable access for all types of vessels, including Superyachts up to 60 metres in length.

We’re also supporting access to businesses in the Gold Coast Marine Industry Precinct at Coomera which is undergoing an expansion which will create another 2,000 jobs.

We understand that the marine, tourism and recreation industries depend on access to our waterways and these works are part of our wider investment in their future under our Gold Coast Waterways Management Program.

We’re aiming to dredge about 85,000 cubic metres from the Coomera river which is the equivalent of filling Cbus Stadium at Robina with sand to a depth of 17 metres.

So far, about 43,000 cubic metres of sediment has been removed from the river which will provide a depth of at least 3 metres below Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT.)

The sediment from the lower Coomera River was placed offshore to support the Gold Coast City Council’s beach nourishment program in the wake of Cyclone Oma.

Sediment from the upper Coomera River is being processed at the management facility.

It’s proving to be of sufficient quality to use for landscaping and agriculture.

The dredging campaign will now focus on the section of the river in front of the Gold Coast Marine Industry Precinct.

We expect to complete it in September this year, as planned.

The facility, it will be available for use later this year by City of Gold Coast, marina operators and managers of residential areas like Sanctuary Cove and Hope Island.

We’re working with potential users to help them plan for using the Facility.