DISPOSAL of sand from dredging of the Apollo Bay harbour entrance has restarted off the lee wall.
\nColac Otway Shire chief executive Sue Wilkinson said the council was extremely pleased to have received the necessary approvals from the state government for the sand disposal to be relocated from Mother\u2019s Beach.
\n\u201cReceiving coastal consent from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning is a positive outcome for the community and the environment.
\n\u201cDisposing sand off the lee wall will allow dredging activities to increase as needed around the harbour entrance as the sand is able to disperse more quickly from the lee wall.
\n\u201cIt will also result in the beach being returned to its natural shape due to the sand being dispersed through the natural tidal and sand movement cycle, preventing it from gathering in one area\u201d.
\nShe said the safety fencing around Mother\u2019s Beach had also now been removed, which is a positive for tourism and the local community using the beach.
\n\u201cWe appreciate the Apollo Bay community\u2019s patience while we went through the process of receiving the required approvals and we are delighted to be able to return this popular beach to its natural state.\u201d
\nThe Colac Otway Shire recently rezoned the harbour to a Special Use Zone Schedule 2 that supports certain development.
\nAs part of the process, the new zone requires that a Development Plan be prepared to guide future development, prior to development commencing.
\nThe council has resolved to support a market-based approach for preparation of the Development Plan, which will seek expressions of interest from the private sector for plans which meet the expectations of the community based on the planning controls in place, including an indoor heated swimming pool.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DISPOSAL of sand from dredging of the Apollo Bay harbour entrance has restarted off the lee wall. Colac Otway Shire chief executive Sue Wilkinson said the council was extremely pleased to have received the necessary approvals from the state government for the sand disposal to be relocated from Mother\u2019s Beach. \u201cReceiving coastal consent from the […]<\/p>\n