Woodgate erosion project delayed to 2024
Bureaucratic delays have pushed the start of a long-awaited project to address erosion at Woodgate Beach out to May 2024.
Community News
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A lengthy approvals process for a project to address erosion at Woodgate Beach has caused the project to be delayed until May 2024, leading to community concerns that lives and property are at risk.
Councillor Bill Trevor said Bundaberg Regional Council had an approved development application in place as early as August 2020 to address the longstanding erosion issues at Woodgate Beach, and in November 2022 received $2million in funding from the Qld government’s North Queensland Natural Disaster Mitigation Program.
In March 2023, the same month as council opened tenders for the construction of a sea wall and sand buffer, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service advised council the work could not be approved without a Marine Park Permit.
Council received verbal approval from the director-general of the Department of Environment and Science Jamie Merrick in June 2023 that the work would be approved subject to council submitting an application for a Marine Park Permit.
Mr Trevor said the QPWS advice was based on an “incorrect understanding of the legislation”, which led to unnecessary delays in the approvals process, including three months in preparation of a 180-page application for the Marine Park Permit.
“There is nothing in the way of conditions within the Marine Parks Permit now received that provides any insight into why the department raised initial roadblocks for the approval or why that approval then took nearly eight weeks to finalise,” Mr Trevor said.
“The granting of this permit has done nothing to allay the concerns of residents.
“While council is grateful to have finally received approval from the state government to address shoreline erosion management on Woodgate Beach the timing of the decision has essentially left us with our hands tied.
“We’ve now received approval for the works 17 days out from the beginning of turtle season which means works will need to be postponed until May next year.
“Receiving this approval was a long, protracted process which was unnecessarily dragged out by the State.”
Woodgate and District Residents Association president Pauline Greer said concerns had grown in the community that lives and personal property were being put at risk due to the delays in the project’s approval.
“Frustration and anger continues to mount within the community as every high tide takes just a little more back,” Ms Greer said.
“We’ve invited the relevant ministers to visit Woodgate and meet with representatives from the community and the council to see first-hand the issues we are facing.
“It’s been over three weeks and we’re yet to get a response.”
A Department of Environment and Science spokesperson said the department received the application for the proposed sea wall on July 21, 2023 and approved the marine parks permit on September 13.
“We understand the importance of this project to the Woodgate community and prioritised the assessment of this application,” the spokesperson said.
“Assessment of the application was undertaken in accordance with the relevant legislative framework, which included associated assessment and statutory Native Title consultation timeframes.”
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