CHERRY VENTURE REMOVAL TO START ON FEBRUARY 5

Work on the removal of the hulk of the Cherry Venture from the Cooloola Coast will begin on February 5, Environment Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr said today.

“Time and tides have well and truly taken their toll on the ship since it ran aground in a severe storm at Teewah Beach in 1973,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.

The Singaporean cargo ship had been en route from Auckland to Brisbane.

“The wreck is in an advanced state of deterioration which has made it structurally unsound.”

Ms Nelson-Carr said the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service had contracted an experienced team of demolition and asbestos removal experts to remove the hulk.

“All going well, the work will take about six weeks to complete.

“The safety of the removal team and members of public will be our highest priority.

“The work will be carried out by a licensed team of experts in accordance with the Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos.

“A monitoring station will be set up on site by an independent laboratory to test air, metal and soil to ensure that all particles of asbestos are safely and completely removed from the site.

“Everything will be done to the strictest letter of the law,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.

Any material, including sand, suspected of containing asbestos will be sealed on site before it is taken to an approved asbestos handling facility at Swanbank for proper disposal.

Because of the presence of asbestos, an exclusion zone will be established around the work site.

This means the section of Teewah beach where the Cherry Venture is located will be closed to traffic for most of the removal process.

The Bruce Highway will be the quickest and safest route, and motorists are urged to use this alternative for travel between Noosa and Rainbow Beach.

Drivers who choose to drive along the beach when the work is being carried out will be diverted along Freshwater track, although vehicles will be allowed past the wreck for one hour either side of low tide but motorists are warned there may be significant delays.

Provision is being made for emergency vehicles to be able to pass by at any time.

There will be signage and traffic control officers to inform and assist drivers.

Ms Nelson-Carr said when the wreckage of the Cherry Venture had been safely removed a sign would be erected on the site detailing the history of the shipwreck.

Media contact: Karla Steen on 0417 603 409 or Andie Gatti on 3336 8002