The long-awaited dredging of the Richmond River mouth at Ballina and nearby North Creek will go ahead after the state government and Ballina Shire Council each lobbed in around a quarter of a million dollars towards the project.
Lands minister Paul Toole and Northern NSW parliamentary secretary Ben Franklin were joined by Ballina Mayor David Wright at North Creek on Wednesday (January 18) to announce the funding.
Mr Franklin said the dredging project will be funded to the tune of $230,700 under the NSW Liberal & Nationals Government’s Rescuing Our Waterways program.
‘Ballina Shire Council will also contribute $230,700 to this important work,’ he said
‘This funding will help improve the accessibility, health and safety of North Creek, which is enjoyed by recreational and commercial users throughout the year.
‘Ballina Shire Council will use the grant to assess any environmental impacts for large scale dredging along the waterway to improve navigation for vessels and increase tidal flushing for improved water quality,’ Mr Franklin said.
Mr Toole said more than $1 million has been allocated to councils across the state for essential dredging projects in the latest round of funding.
‘The inlets, lakes, rivers and creeks along the coast are the lifeblood of many communities and the NSW Government is pleased to fund this work to improve waterway safety and access.
‘All coastal councils are eligible to apply for up to 50 per cent of the cost of dredging projects under the Rescuing Our Waterways program,’ Mr Toole said.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
