$20 million investment in GC waterways

Close to $20 million will be invested in Gold Coast waterways over the next 12 months.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said completing dredging of the Coomera River to unlock superyacht access to the Gold Coast Marine Industry precinct, and a $3 million upgrade for the Sand Bypass Jetty were key priorities for the Gold Coast Waterways Authority in the 2019/20 financial year.

“The coast’s waterways are a $26 billion asset supporting the tourism, recreation and marine industries and the thousands of people who work in them,” Mr Bailey said.

“As a key boat building and servicing hub on Australia’s east coast, the Gold Coast Marine Industry precinct alone supports two and a half thousand jobs. That’s why we built the $10.3 million dredge management facility at Coomera, and are nearing completion on dredging the Coomera River.

“The Palaszczuk Government’s $20 million investment in the Gold Coast Waterways will drive jobs and add to the more than 207,000 jobs created under our government since 2015.

“Add to that our $20 million Australian-first War on Wrecks program, which is engaging local contractors to remove abandoned boats across Queensland, including those on the Gold Coast.”

Mr Bailey said the list of projects built on projects and initiatives completed in 2018/19, including:

• Dredging of the Canaipa Passage, a key navigation link between Moreton Bay and the Broadwater;
• Dredging of the Labrador Channel and the Coomera River downstream between Shipper Drive and the river mouth near Paradise Point and the Sovereign Islands;
• Pumping more than 667,000 cubic metres of sand north via the Sand Bypass System keeping the Seaway safe and navigable;
• Completion of Stage 4 of Doug Jennings Park bringing the total investment in this public open space to $5.7 million;
• Delivery of an expanded compliance program for anchored boats to ensure fair access and compliance with anchoring conditions. GCWA monitored 884 boats and issued 149 removal notices. Of those vessels, 140 were removed by their owners and GCWA acted to remove the remaining 9;
• Responding to more than 28 reports of vessel-based oil pollution in line with first-strike response capabilities; and
• To support the promotion of the waterways as a destination, GCWA assessed more than 240 applications for events in and around the waterways including film and television productions, festivals and sporting events such as the Corporate Triathlon.

Gold Coast Waterways Authority’s CEO, Hal Morris said the authority was building on the value of that asset through activities like its dredging program, the continuous operation of the Sand Bypass System to keep the Seaway open and assessing and granting permits to use the waterways and foreshores for events.

“People live around, work and play on our waterways which is why we invest time and money in keeping them safe and navigable,” Mr Morris said.

“We’ll continue accessing resources available under the War on Wrecks to remove abandoned property and vessels that can pose a hazard to waterways users and the environment.

Mr Morris said since the state-wide War on Wrecks program commenced in September last year, GCWA has removed 41 vessels from the waterways. This includes tinnies, trawlers, houseboats and jet skis.

“Supporting safer and sustainable access to the waterways for the local community and the tourism, recreation and marine industries is our number one priority.”

Mr Morris said that in the coming financial year 2019/20 GCWA will also:

• Commission the pilot solar array at the Sand Bypass System to help reduce electricity bills;
• Pump another 500,000 cubic metres of sand north via the Sand Bypass System;
• Continue to target abandoned vessels and property for removal from the waterways;
• Continue to maintain more than 2,000 buoys, beacons and marine signs under the Aids to Navigation program;
• Continue to monitor anchoring and mooring of vessels to ensure fair access to designated areas;
• Ensure first-strike pollution response capabilities remain up-to-date and;
• Assess and grant permits for land-based and aquatic events including sporting events, film production and festivals.

ENDS

Media Contact: Francis Dela Cruz - 0420 592 078