Cash for long-term Clifton Springs dredge plan

THE City of Greater Geelong (COGG) will develop a 25-year plan for future dredging at Clifton Springs Harbour after receiving a state government grant.

The city has received $76,000 to develop its long-term plan to ensure the harbour’s ongoing viability and reduce the frequency of maintenance dredging required, which has included works in recent months using a longreach excavator.

Clifton Springs Harbour is a shallow harbour that is susceptible to sand and seagrass deposits, particularly following storms in winter and spring.

COGG said it recently completed one of its largest ever dredging operations for the area which required further maintenance in December, when sediment and seagrass built up in the harbour and created difficulty for vessels to enter and exit the harbour at low tide.

Parks Victoria has issued multiple warning notices to boaters in recent months warning of shallow depths at the harbour and advising caution.

Greater Geelong deputy mayor and Bellarine Ward councillor Trent Sullivan welcomed the funding.

“The grant will help us develop a long-term plan to ensure mariners can safely navigate the Clifton Springs harbour and enjoy the best that Corio Bay and Port Phillip Bay has to offer,” he said.

“The management plan aims to reduce how often maintenance dredging is required and provide better access for the local community and visitors to the area.”

The Geelong grant is one of six totalling $487,490 allocated by Better Boating Victoria’s Recreational Boating Access and Dredging Program last month.

“We know easy access to our waterways is vital for boaters when launching or retrieving their vessels, and these grants will allow facility managers to make this possible now and into the future,” Fishing and Boating Minister Melissa Horne said.

“Grants programs like this are ensuring boater registration and licencing fees are being reinvested in ways that will improve the boating experience for all Victorians.”