A new permanent and buried pipeline to pump dredged material to Castletown Beach is being used for the first time as work begins to clear the buildup of sand at Bandy Creek Boat Harbour in Esperance.
The $2.3 million, four-month dredging campaign is expected to remove a record amount of material from the harbour – over 60,000 cubic metres. This will restore channel depths at the entrance and reduce the sand trap adjacent to the eastern breakwater, improving navigation and safety.
Department of Transport (DoT) Director of Coastal Facilities Shelley Grice said more than 40,000 cubic metres of dredged material will be pumped via the new 3.6 kilometre pipeline and used to widen Castletown Beach.
“The remaining dredged material will be pumped about one kilometre east of the harbour to maintain the natural coastal processes interrupted by the breakwaters,” Ms Grice said.
Following a successful trial in 2021 using a temporary pipeline, funding of $750,000 from the Coastal Adaptation and Protection Major Project Fund under CoastWA was allocated towards the permanent infrastructure.
Skippers operating in the harbour and visitors to Castletown Beach are advised to observe safety measures in place for the dredging and sand replenishment.
The dredging has involved close consultation with the local community, including the Shire of Esperance and the Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation.
For more information about DoT’s dredging program, facilities, or the State’s network of navigation aids keeping vessels safe on WA waters, visit www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine
