Ballina, Kingscliff dredging completed for Christmas

More than $2 million of dredging has been completed in Ballina and Kingscliff to improve access for boaters during the busy holiday period.

In Ballina, Fishery Creek and the boat harbour have been dredged to ensure the lower reaches of the river are accessible.

North Coast National MLC Ben Franklin said the state government had spent $1.9 million on the dredging at Ballina.

‘In July, dredging at Fishery Creek was completed, and we have now completed another stage of dredging work at Ballina boat harbour,’ Mr Franklin said.

‘Dredging river channel entrances provides a direct benefit to the community through improved boating safety and access to waterways for both commercial and recreational boaters.

‘We’re heading into the busiest boating season of the year and the completion of dredging works in the Ballina boat harbour means locals and tourists can confidently access the area.’

‘Around 9,000 cubic metres of dredged sand from Fishery Creek was used for renourishment and bank protection at Mobbs Bay, where a variety of shore bird species are known to nest.’

Meanwhile, further north, the entrance to Cudgen Creek at Kingscliff has also been dredged.

Tweed MP Geoff Provest said $345,000 had been spend on the work.

‘In total, around 25,000 cubic metres of sand has been removed to improve the navigation of the entrance channel,’ Mr Provest said.

‘The majority of the dredged sand has been moved to the southern section of Kingscliff Beach to improve beach amenity and provide a buffer against the impacts of big seas.

‘Smaller amounts of sand have been used to nourish eroding banks on the southern side of the creek.”

‘An additional 17,800 cubic metres have been dredged from the boat harbour since July and that material is currently being dried in geotextile bags near the harbour.’