Tenders open for Swansea dredge and sand transfer

A permanent dredging solution for Swansea Channel is one step closer, with Lake Macquarie City Council calling for tenders to design and supply a dredge vessel and sand transfer system.

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Lake Macquarie Mayor Adam Shultz said Council compiled a shortlist of potential suppliers after calling for expressions of interest last year.

“This is a project that will have a wide range of benefits for our city,” he said. “It will increase visitation by boat, open up more tourism opportunities around the lake’s shore and will improve safety for skippers navigating Swansea Channel.”

Council will invite several contractors to tender for the design, supply and delivery of a dredge vessel and associated equipment, plus a sand transfer system to pump the sand to Nine Mile Beach.

Under current plans, the dredge will pump sand from problem areas in Swansea Channel like a giant vacuum cleaner, through a pipe that comes to shore east of Naru Point.

From there, the sand transfer will continue overland, dipping underground beneath the Pacific Highway before reaching the coast.

The system will have the capacity to pump at least 1000m3 of sand a day, with typical dredging ‘campaigns’ each expected to remove about 20,000m3 over a four- to six-week period.  Larger campaigns may also be required to remove up to 120,000m3.

Mayor Adam said Council was fortunate to have secured $10 million for the project, which also includes an upgrade to Blacksmiths boat ramp, from the Australian Government’s Priority Community Infrastructure Program.

“We plan to award the contract early next year, which would allow final designs to be ready by mid-2025. That will keep us on track to have the project completed and operational by mid-2027,” he said.

Once ready for service, the dredge and sand transfer system will be handed to Transport for NSW to operate and manage.

Go to transport.nsw.gov.au for the latest Swansea Channel dredging newsletter.