A joint initiative by the Australian, NSW, and Local Governments has committed to deliver safe and reliable access to Lake Macquarie, improving navigation for boaters.

Lake Macquarie City Council has been provided $10 million from the Australian Government through the Priority Community Infrastructure Program to deliver a dredge and sand transfer system. Transport for NSW has also secured $6 million from the NSW Government Boating Infrastructure and Dredging Scheme to manage the operations for the next five years.

A Review of Environmental Factors (REF) has been prepared that will give environmental approval to dredge when needed for the next 10 years in Swansea Channel. This will help provide safe and reliable access to Lake Macquarie.

The proposal and REF look at future dredging operations for Swansea Channel. Key details of the proposal are:

• Dredging operations will use the new Australian Government funded dredge.
  
• An initial large dredging campaign will provide a channel 60 metres wide and depth of -3.5 metres Australian Height Datum (AHD).
• Once this channel is achieved, smaller maintenance dredging campaigns will be carried out when needed.
• A sand transfer system will be set up to move the sand from the channel to the Nine Mile Beach, near the Belmont Golf & Bowls using a pipeline and pump station.

Tell us what you think

Transport has been working with the local council and other agencies during the development of the REF and we would now like your feedback on proposed future dredging operations for Swansea Channel.

The REF describes the key features of a dredging project and assesses the potential environmental and social impacts during construction and operation.

Your feedback will help finalise our plans and REF and will be published as part of the submissions report.