Project overview

Dredging is an important management activity necessary to maintain the safety of navigation channels and provide access to maritime infrastructure that can otherwise be restricted by natural sand shoaling.

The NSW Government is committed to improve and sustain accessibility to key coastal locations, river entrances and local waterways to support economic growth opportunities through improved navigation.

Our Dredging program is supported by the Boating Infrastructure and Dredging Scheme (BIDS) which has allocated $16 million for dredging projects across NSW through to 2027. For more information on BIDS see the Transport for NSW Boating Infrastructure and Dredging Scheme web page.

The BIDS scheme has two sub programs which supports our delivery of dredging projects.

  • Priority Dredging Program – We're planning and preparing future dredging projects across NSW. This includes monitoring waterways, investigating needs, and securing approvals for key locations.
  • Committed Dredging Projects – Are the current dredging projects that have committed funding allocated to deliver dredging work.
NSW dredging project map

Seeking your feedback

To improve efficiency in our delivery of our dredging projects. We are now developing 10-year Review of Environmental Factors (REF) . The REF is the environmental approval needed before dredging can start. Previously we would need to do a new REF each dredging campaign. This improvement will allow us to dredge when needed, subject to available funding.

Over the next year we will be completing REFs for each of the 12 priority and committed locations except for Myall River and Wallis Lake, which will be carried out by MidCoast Council.

As we roll this program out over next year, you will be able to find all Have Your Say information on this page for each project as they become available.