Low tide warning for harbour

CLIFTON Springs boaters have been reminded to take care at low tides after shallow harbour waters plagued local waters in recent days.

The City of Greater Geelong issued a shallow entrance warning last week for Clifton Springs Boat Harbour, where a build up of seagrass wrack has threatened vessels despite recent dredging.

“Maintenance dredging of the harbour occurred in December 2022,” the city stated.

“However, the area external to the entrance is not dredged and there are shallow banks in the vicinity.

“Exceptional seagrass growth on the Bellarine Banks in recent years, is contributing to infill of the harbour channels by seagrass wrack and is being monitored.

“Vessel operators are urged to take extra care at predicted tide levels below 0.4 metres.”

The city says it is developing a 10-year dredging management plan for the harbour, which aims to identify an optimal harbour depth and ongoing maintenance and dredging plans to achieve it.

It received $76,000 for a 25-year plan in March last year.

Restricted access to shallow water has become a growing concern at Clifton Springs in recent years, with the city reporting increased requirement for dredging since mid-2021 due to sand and seagrass build up.

In addition to last December’s dredging, the city deepended the harbour in June 2022 and December 2021 following “one of [its] largest maintenance dredging operations at the harbour” earlier that year.