BIG JOB: Dredge master Michael Schack.
ROUGHLY 20,000 cubic metres of sand has once again been used to replenish Deadmans Quarry.
The eight week, $350,000 dredging project funded by Great Lakes Council saw sand from Yacaaba transferred by pipe to Deadmans. The sand will act as a buffer on Jimmys Beach when wild weather hits and starts the erosion process. The buffer is part of Great Lakes Council's Emergency Action Plan to stop the erosion eating into The Boulevarde at Winda Woppa. Myall River Action Group Spokesman Gordon Grainger said last year's supply of 20,000 cubic metres of sand was used up in two nights during separate storms in June and July.
"Two thirds of it went in one night," he said.
"Then the second low took the remainder and more."
Mr Grainger along with the Myall River Action group believe there could be a better solution for fixing the erosion problem which has been around since the mid 1970s. Some of his suggestions included dredging Myall River's choked eastern channel and use that sand supply at Deadmans. Great Lakes Councils manager of environment and natural systems said that was not an option for the council at this stage as the Yacaaba plan was the cheapest option. He said the council also had an approved plan for the Yaccaba dredging and not one for the eastern channel. Mr Grainger also spoke of Great Lakes Council backing a $3 million plan to permanently dredge the Myall River's eastern channel and move the sand via a sand shifter to renourish the eroding Jimmys Beach. These plans have been put on hold until the council can receive funding from the state government.