Corrie Channel Dredging and Beach Nourishment Ready to Start
The Corrie Channel is situated at the confluence between the Lower Myall River and Port Stephens Estuary on the north-western side of Corrie Island. The required dredge site itself is located approximately 2km from the town of Tea Gardens and approximately 4km from Hawks Nest.
The Corrie Channel is the designated (NSW Maritime) navigation channel/ route between Port Stephens and the Myall River and links Nelson Bay and the Port of Tea Gardens. The Corrie Channel also provides access to the Myall Lakes which during peak periods have a high level of recreational boating activity, particularly of Cruiser-type vessels. A bathymetric survey carried out in 2015 indicated that the channel has in-filled some 18,700m3 since the previous 2010 dredging campaign. Sand shoaling within the channel has occurred to such an extent that it is now restricting access for larger vessels. Dredging of the channel is thus urgently required to maintain navigation and ensure public safety and access to Port Stephens/ Tea Gardens.
Neumann Dredging have been engaged by the Great Lakes Council to undertake the much needed dredging works. The Corrie Channel Dredging Project includes:
- Dredging of up to 20,000m3 of marine sand. Dredging will create a channel to a depth of -3.5m AHD and which is 20m wide and over 300m in length.
- The dredge spoil will be pumped, with the aid of two floating booster pumps, via a temporary pipeline to a maximum distance of 3.0 kilometres to an eroding section of shoreline west of Barnes Rock at Winda Woppa where it will be used for shoreline renourishment.
The Cutter Suction Dredge, Nu Discovery and two floating booster pumps will be used for this project. The Nu Discovery is a 200mm cutter suction dredge from the Nu Explorer series of dredges. The Nu Explorer series of dredges have been designed and constructed by Neumann Dredging to specifically suit the typical dredging conditions encountered in projects like the Corrie Channel Dredging project. There are three dredges in the Nu Explorer series that currently complement our fleet (total of 9 Cutter Suction Dredges):
- Nu Explorer (original dredge in the Nu Explorer Series) has been working in the OTML Mine in PNG for the last two years,
- Nu Discovery has recently completed works in the Iluka Boat Harbour and Entrance Channel Dredging project,
- Nu Investigator, is the latest in the fleet and has just completed initial trials and testing at Neumann Contractors, Corridor Sands plant at Woongoolba.
Dredge 12, Nu Discovery is a 227kW (305hp) 200mm three wire cutter suction dredge. The dredge is capable of dredging up to 120m3 per hour (in optimal conditions), dredge to a maximum depth of 6.5 metres, and pump the material up to 1,200m in distance.
Dredge 12 – Nu Discovery from the Nu Explorer series of Neumann Contractor designed and constructed CSDs
