Hawks Nest Tea Gardens Progress Group write to Mike Baird: Dear Mr Premier

I wish to draw you attention to an urgent matter of environmental degradation in Port Stephens which is of great concern to the Hawks Nest / Tea Gardens Progress Association, ie the proposed dredging of the eastern channel of the Myall River, the proposed pumping of dredged sand onto Jimmys Beach, and the ongoing erosion of the beach.

The Association is extremely disappointed that the dredging the State government had promised would occur this year has been deferred until May next year.

The deferral means that additional sand will accumulate in the channel, with the resulting increase in cost of removal and transport to Jimmy’s Beach, as well as the possibility that State government funding may then be withheld. Even more important are the potential boating safety issues over the coming summer holiday period as a result of the further siltation of the channel.

Secondly, the Progress Association is appalled by the erosion of sand from Jimmy’s Beach and the financially wasteful and environmentally flawed concept of remediating the beach with sand trucked from Yacaaba spit (Deadmans quarry). This is a clear waste of Great Lakes Council’s limited budget, funded primarily from resident’s rate payments.

We have been advised that Port Stephens Council is responsible for the area up to the high tide mark on Jimmy’s Beach.

It’s time the State Government, Great Lakes Council and Port Stephens Council stopped wasting valuable time and money and implemented a permanent solution to the problem of erosion of Jimmy’s Beach by the construction of some sort of man-made structure, such as a groyne.

All three parties have an obligation to protect the undermining of The Boulevarde and adjacent properties, as well as halting the rapid build-up of sand within Port Stephens itself.

The Progress Association awaits your urgent response to this matter.

Trevor Jennings, President / Secretary of Hawks Nest / Tea Gardens Progress Association

 

The issue will be discussed further at the next Progress Association meeting at 7pm on Monday 13th October in the Old Library next to the Community Centre, Booner St, Hawks Nest.