The long-awaited dredging of the Swansea Channel will commence this month, with the first stage due to be complete in time for this year's boating season.
Dredging will extend from the Pelican Foreshore in the south, including the channels south-west and east of Elizabeth Island. The project will clear about 30,000 cubic metres of sand from the channel to create a 30 metre safe passage for vessels up to 2.5 metres of draft.
The dredge is being assembled at Rathmines boat ramp before it is towed into Swan Bay. Site establishment and preparation works are also under way.
GPM Marine have been appointed to carry out the dredging, which will start in coming weeks. The work is due to be completed by November.
The work is part of a two-stage $1.5million dredging program for the channel.
"We want to make sure everyone is safe on our waterways - people coming for the weekend to enjoy this beautiful part of NSW through to the bigger vessels that are essential to the local economy," Transport minister Jo Haylen, who made the announcement with Swansea MP Yasmin Catley at Naru Beach, said.
Measures will be put in place to protect environmentally sensitive areas including buffer areas to prevent disturbance of seagrass and daily water quality monitoring.
A Shorebird Management Plan has been developed that specifically addresses the protection and habitat creation for the Pied Oystercatcher.
"Transport for NSW has obtained the necessary approvals to ensure this work is done in an environmentally sensitive way. Buffers will be set up to protect local seagrass as well as marine life above and below the water," Ms Haylen said.
Ms Catley said the state of the channel had been a 'significant embarrassment' for many years.
"It's not just somewhere that we play, it's important for the economies around the lake and the region," she said.
"It's also important for our emergency rescuers here in Lake Macquarie. Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie is the largest command in NSW. Much of their work involves pulling vessels off the lake floor."
Ms Catley the installation of a sand transfer system to pump sand from the channel to Blacksmiths Beach would be investigated as part of a longer term program of works.
"In past dredging projects we have had the transfer of sand in two different forms. We transported sand most recently by truck to the southern end of Blacksmiths and there was transfer infrastructure installed in 2015," she said.
"We know that using the sand over at the beach addresses coastal erosion. It's a win-win, we get to dredge here and we get a win on the beach as well. These are absolutely good ideas that we will be considering and it's something that I have advocated for a very long time."
