City of Coffs Harbour Council has voiced its opposition to a NSW Government proposal to pump sand slurry onto Boambee Beach as part of a plan to clear the city’s harbour and boat ramp of excess sand deposits.
While the Council has expressed support for the State Government’s long-term plans to dredge sand from the harbour at the boat ramp and deposit it off Park Beach, it says a request to pump the sand slurry onto Boambee Beach for up to two years in the interim won’t work.Â
The plans for Boambee Beach were outlined in a recent letter from Member for Coffs Harbour, Gurmesh Singh.
“City staff have previously raised concerns over using Boambee Beach to Transport for NSW and have made clear that the sand needs to be taken to Park Beach so that it can continue to drift north to replenish beaches further up the coastline,” said Council’s Director Sustainable Infrastructure, Andrew Beswick.
“Sand deposited on Boambee or Gallows Beaches will not be able to move around the harbour due to the currents and will invariably end up back inside the harbour over time.
“The adopted Coffs Harbour Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) identifies this issue and one of its actions is to work with the NSW Government to establish a regular program of dredging and replenishment of Park Beach.
“It’s important to be aware that the movement of sand in the coastal system can have significant environmental impacts if the activity is undertaken without thorough due diligence.
“The Coffs Harbour CZMP provides a thoroughly-researched framework to guide any such works, together with the approvals required from the relevant agencies,” he said.
In June this year, Council approached the NSW Government calling for prompt action to dredge the harbour and to design and construct a permanent system for sand removal.Â
