Under the Gold Coast Waterways Authority Act of 2012, the GCWA produces a 10-year Waterways Management Strategy and 4-year Waterways Management Program. The current Program includes funding in the current, 2015-16, fiscal year for nearly $12 million worth of works.
Dredging
About one-third of the funding is for dredging in various navigation channels, including Biggera Creek, the Main Channel North near Cabbage Tree Point, Tipplers Passage, the Main Channel South near the Pimpama River, Canaipa Passage, and the Seaway approaches in the Broadwater, including the North, South and South Wave Break Island channels.
Dredge Spoil Management Facility
The Program includes a substantial commitment—$1.6 million—towards the long-held realisation of a dredge spoil management facility on the Coomera River to facilitate sustainable navigational access for the marine precinct, residential canal estates and associated marinas and maintenance of flood mitigation facilities such as the Hope Island drain. The GCWA actively partners with the City of the Gold Coast to ensure that dredged sand is beneficially used for foreshore nourishment wherever practical. The Coomera dredge spoil management facility is an important alternative.
Boating Infrastructure
Investments in public boating infrastructure include building and maintaining pontoons at Tipplers, and Appel wharf on the Nerang River—progressing recommendations from the recent master plan consultation for Surfers Riverside project.
Sand Bypass System
The GCWA is also undertaking a program to improve energy efficiency of the Sand Bypass System, as well as ongoing management of the navigational aids system.
Strategic Initiatives
Through the Scientific Research and Management Program of the GCWA, including ways to provide boaties better information on matters such as bathymetry and tides, as well as enable them to inform the Authority about issues and priorities.
Encouraging Dialogue and Cooperation
GCWA is a small organisation, so it is important that it works with organisations such as the Water Police, and Boating and Fisheries Patrol to educate stakeholders and, where necessary, undertake appropriate enforcement. A lot of the challenges facing us lack simple solutions. These are ‘wicked’ problems, in that every solution involves trade-offs—you can make some people happy, but other people are likely to disagree. If we can foster a dialogue amongst the stakeholders, we have the best chance of getting an agreed consensus and realising the best possible solutions.
Source: Nicole Munro, Executive Support Officer, GCWA (nicole.munro@gcwa.qld.gov.au)
Visit www.gcwa.qld.gov.au to know more about the current programs and projects, or contact (07) 5539 7350 for any particular matter that interests you.
Boat Gold Coast encourages readers to have their say. Please drop us a line at editor@boatgoldcoast.com.au or (07)5679 0833, and let us know what you think.
