JUST as the dredging contractors packed up to leave Hawks Nest, Great Lakes Council has decided to recontract them to dredge another 17,000 cubic metres of sand from Yaccaba.
The move comes after almost half of the recently replenished 20,000 cubic metre stockpile of sand at Deadmans was used to save Jimmys Beach from serious erosion during wild weather earlier this month. In order to secure the contractor, the works will start during the upcoming winter school holidays.
"This is not the most desirable outcome however with it being the cooler months it is hoped the disruption will be reduced," Great Lakes Councillor Len Roberts said.
"This buffer will allow us to deal with the remainder of the storm period far better than just trucking sand in during emergencies."
The buffer is part of Great Lakes Council's Emergency Action Plan to stop the erosion eating into The Boulevarde at Winda Woppa. The Office of Environment and Heritage has agreed to pay half of the dredging cost which is expected to be between $300,000 to $350,000.
Myall River action group spokesman Gordon Grainger said he held concerns for the repeated dredging weakening the structure of the Yaccaba spit and the movement of 1000s of trucks fully laden with sand damaging the roadway.
"Again rate payers funds will be used to fix the affected section," he said.
Mr Grainger still believes the best solution rests with dredging the Myall River's choked eastern channel and having a sand shifter pump that sand onto The Boulevarde. This solution which would cost up to $3 million can not go ahead until the council receives funding from the state government.
