Ramsgate Baths Beach Nourishment

Bayside Council awarded Neumann Contractors the contract to dredge sand from Dolls Point to replenish the beach at Ramsgate Baths in Botany Bay NSW.

Though Council requested tenders for a cutter suction dredge Neumann submitted a proposal to use a dry feed hopper bin arrangement to produce a slurry and pump the sand the required 1.7 km. This methodology was chosen due to the Council’s desire not to excavate the beach at Dolls Point below the lowest astronomical tide level.

Initially a perimeter bund wall was constructed around the cut area using sand from the beach to protect the works from inundation during high tides. The hopper bin, booster pump and water feed pump were established within the perimeter bund, with the bin being loaded by an excavator and sand continually pushed up by a dozer.

The poly delivery pipeline was installed along the foreshore pathway with physical separation to ensure the safety of foreshore users and pedestrians.

The sand was deposited within the nominated beach area, controlled and trimmed to the desired profile with an excavator.

Due to the close proximity of sensitive seagrass beds, a floating 2 metre drop silt curtain was installed around the nourishment operation to prevent sediments from settling on the seagrasses.