Chelsea – Mordialloc
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7 August – 20 August 2012
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Clear waters
MORDIALLOC MP Lorraine Wreford and Carrum MP Donna Bauer are among those pleased with progress on the dredging of Mordialloc Creek. They are in front of the sheet pile works that were carried out at Lambert Island. Picture: Yanni
Applause for dredging By Jo Winterbottom WORK is proceeding on the longawaited dredging of Mordialloc Creek to once again allow it to be used by boaties in all tides and all weather. Dredging by contractor Thiess Services is taking place between the rail line and Pompei Bridge on Nepean Highway after the completion of dredging from the Governor Rd boat ramp to the rail line last month. The race is now on to complete dredging to the mouth of the creek before annual snapper spawning begins in November. The works have been greeted with applause and a sigh of relief from Mordialloc Creek Community, a group representing 13 professional and rec-
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reational groups using the waterway. MCC convener Garry Spencer, whose power boat got stuck on mud at the mouth of the creek in parlous circumstances last year, said he was “delighted� the creek would again be navigable. “We’ve been working very hard for years to get this dredging happening and we are absolutely delighted that it is going according to schedule,� he said. “It is the only harbour between Sandringham and Martha Cove that can be used in all [weather] conditions and it is a very important safe harbour.� Mr Spencer praised Kingston Council, which is managing the project, as well as local MPs Lorraine Wreford, Donna Bauer and Inga Peulich, who he said helped secure $6 million in state
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government funding for the project. “Everyone is working together on this project and the development of the Mordialloc Creek Advisory Council demonstrates great forward thinking by Kingston Council,� he said. About 9000 square metres of silt will be removed to create a channel 1.5 metres deep at low tide from the mouth of the creek to the Pompei Bridge and 1 metre deep from the highway to the boat ramp. At the same time, the northern wall of Lambert Island near the mouth of the creek is being stabilised with sheet piles, a $732,600 project by Bridge and Civil Pty Ltd. The new sheet wall will widen the main channel of the creek for additional
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moorings and a pontoon landing for small boats. Initial dredging of moorings around Lambert Island was carried out by Kingston Council last year at a cost of $1.5 million. Mr Spencer said silting had reduced the depth of the creek so that it had become unnavigable by even small boats for up to 12 hours each tide cycle. “There was a day just before Christmas last year when about 100 boats were queued up outside the creek mouth waiting to get out of a bad blow,� he said. “If people are coming out of Docklands or other harbours around Port Phillip and they need to get out of the weather, they need to be able to run into Mordialloc Creek to be safe.�
The creek was last dredged in 1997, but silting and contamination has been a problem for decades (see story Page 3). Kingston Council CEO John Nevins said new drainage works in the creek’s catchment area and the planned extension of wetlands in the Governor Rd area would reduce silt and contaminated runoff going into the creek. Mr Spencer said MCC and the Mordialloc Creek Advisory Committee would now turn its attention to a maintenance dredging program to ensure the creek remained navigable. Initial projections suggested regular dredging every four years might be sufficient. “Mordialloc Creek is an asset and, like all assets, it needs to be managed,� he said.
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