Issue 109 January 31, 2017
Your independent community newspaper - Ph: 4325 7369
The need for break-walls at The Entrance Channel highlighted R
esidents from across the Central Coast came together on Australia Day to stage the second annual The Entrance Channel dig out. The aim of the dig out is to draw attention to the myriad of issues facing the channel including flooding, water quality and water recreation. Mr Peter White, a representative from The Tuggerah Lakes Flood Mitigation Action Group, said the dig out was also staged to highlight the need for break-walls at The Entrance Channel. According to Mr White, the 2016 dig out attracted 120 volunteer “diggers” who were all behind the break-wall idea. Mr White also said that 2016’s dig out attracted attention from the former Wyong Council, members of the Save Tuggerah Lakes Party and Members of Parliament from across the Wyong Local Government Area. “The aim of our 2017 dig out was to escalate the event to a State Government level where the need for break-walls needs to be recognised and hopefully funded,” Mr White said. Mr White said the installation of break-walls along the channel would improve water flow in and out of the lake, improve the water quality and alleviate flooding from low lying areas around
the lake. Poor tidal and weather conditions did not deter the 40 strong group from the dig out, which commenced at 10am. Mr White offered his thanks to the group who braved the conditions, and the members of the public who turned out to see what was happening. “We had a few people just turn up to see what our group was doing, and
once we told them, they grabbed a shovel and got to digging,” Mr White said. According to Mr White, there is a large part of the community that wants to see break-walls included on Central Coast Council’s and the State Government’s radar. “Government focus has been on The Entrance Beach Groyne, which will ultimately have
no positive impact on the channel, which is frustrating, because there are so many positives for The Entrance and Tuggerah Lakes if a breakwall was to be built,” Mr White continued. Mr White said other than general water quality improvements, a break wall could revitalise The Entrance as a boating and fishing hub, which would stimulate the tourist
economy of the region, by effectively making the channel a “boat haven” if water flow was stabilised by break-walls. “The channel has the potential to attract larger pleasure and recreational boats and to be a boat shelter during storms and rough seas. “This could bring so much to The Entrance and attract much more boating and water
recreation to Tuggerah Lakes. Additionally, Mr White said more stable water flow would see residents regularly effected by flooding no longer suffering a poorer quality of life for their lake views.
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Continued P3 Photo: Noel Fisher