Council to meet agencies about silt

Gosford Council will meet shortly with NSW Maritime and other government stake holders to discuss the issue of siltation in Brisbane Water, according told Gosford Council's manager of open space and leisure services Mr Phil Moore.

He has told Peninsula News that the siltation issue was "fairly urgent".

Local ferry owners and operators have stated that siltation was causing issues on Brisbane Water, such as a vessel running aground, according to a recent newsletter.

"Main channels at Wagstaffe that have always been navigable, are now secondary channels.

"That is, they are not identified or lit by channels markers to indicate their purpose," the Central Coast Ferry newsletter stated.

"At Half Tide Rocks, care is needed rounding marks that were previously shallow, and are now 'avoid at low tide' or 'take caution'.

"At Lobster Beach, there is now an exposed sand bank west of Lobbie Beach.

"At Cockle Channel's eastern end, it is 'enter at your own risk' at low tide.

"The Saratoga (ferry) does regular 'dredging' here," according to the newsletter.

"At Paddy's Channel's northern end, it is 'beware of sandbanks' at low tide.

"At Saratoga, markers have been removed."

Lintern Channel, at low tide, now had a very limited channel to navigate in.

The newsletter suggested that the siltation may have been due to sand being dumped in the area when it was taken from the site of the Ettalong resort and donated to council for use on the beach.

Mr Moore said that the newsletter's list of affected sites was a "reasonable assessment", but there were other areas as well.

He said that beach nourishment may have contributed to some shoals, but pointed out that the shoals had always been a feature of the area.

"Ettalong has always been an area of erosion and has required beach nourishment on previous occasions to maintain the beach amenity," Mr Moore said.

Mr Moore rebuked suggestions that the siltation elsewhere in the estuary may be related to "nourishment" of sand from the Ettalong Club during its construction period.

Mr Moore said that he understood that council had accepted the offer of sand but with strict instructions that the sand was to be screened and would contain no rubble.

He said that "approximately 15,000 cubic metres of clean sand" was provided.

Mr Moore said that council was meeting with NSW Maritime and NSW Department of Lands to discuss the issue and to seek funding to undertake any necessary works.

"It is fairly urgent," Mr Moore said.

He said that siltation did occur but was generally a slow process, though it had recently reached a stage where remedial action may need to be undertaken, particularly in the Ettalong area.

Lyle Stone, 9 May 2007