Council to construct groyne at Newell Beach
Council to construct groyne at Newell Beach
Wednesday December 17 2014, 3:10pm
Douglas Shire Council will construct a groyne at Newell Beach to help mitigate erosion issues which are threatening coastal properties.
A groyne is a large wall-like structure that extends out directly out to sea from the water's edge, with of the purpose of altering wave action and creating beaches.
Council will also investigate funding options for the dredging of the sandbar at the Mossman River mouth as a long-term solution to alleviate erosion issues which threaten properties along a 500m stretch of Newell Beach.
Mayor Julia Leu said Newell Beach has been suffering erosion at the southern end of the beach for many years, prompting Council to engage an engineering consultant to identify possible solutions.
“Significant erosion of the southern section has been continual since approximately 1997 and the high tide line is now up to property boundaries in some instances and within three metres of decking and other structures,” Mayor Leu said.
“The first part of the solution recommended by the consultant is the existing sand replenishment that Council has recently undertaken.
“The installation of geotextile bags perpendicular to the beach to form a groyne is expected to trap and hold sand moving along the beach and these works will be done immediately at an estimated cost of $35,000.
“Dredging of the sandbar will allow the natural movement of sand onto the beach as the sandbar is believed to be the cause of the erosion because it interrupts sand movement, creating an imbalance in the longshore drift process.”
The cost of dredging Newell Beach is estimated at $480,000 and a progress report will be presented to Council in February 2015.
