Australia: Augusta Harbour Development Moves Ahead

The new Augusta Boat Harbour, funded by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program, is taking shape with the footprint of the two breakwaters now complete.

Department of Transport (DoT) Project Manager Stephen Smith said both the 150 metre northern breakwater and the 600 metre southern breakwater had been constructed to the minimum breakwater level.

“Construction activities will now progressively raise the height of the larger southern breakwater to provide adequate protection from prevailing south easterly winds and wave overtopping during storms,” Mr Smith said.

“At the end of the southern breakwater, the structure’s most exposed location, rocks weighing up to 11 tonne each will be positioned in two layers with the aid of a 100 tonne long reach excavator.”

To date the project has seen quarrying on site of approximately two thirds (330,000 tonne) of the total 500,000 tonne of granite rock required to create the breakwaters and reclamation area.

Mr Smith said the complex environmental monitoring associated with the project was continuing with pleasing results.

“An underwater dive inspection of the outer face of the southern breakwater by local Marine Biologist Brad Adams observed the early establishment of abalone and fish populations,” Mr Smith said.

“The completion of the breakwaters to the lower level will also see a reduction in the amount of small pieces of plastic tube used in the rock blasting process washing up on local beaches. Debris monitoring and collection will continue until August to ensure all the material is found and removed.”

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Press Release, April 23, 2013