State government under fire for Mooloolah River entrance dredging operations

While businesses were losing thousands of dollars, the state government never employed a larger dredge as sand piled up at Mooloolaba, it can be revealed.

The state government has come under fire for not pumping more money into its dredging budget after businesses lost thousands due to the dangerous entrance to the port of Mooloolaba.

It can be revealed the state government never employed a larger dredge to clear shoaling outside the Mooloolah River entrance, while the shallow bar was causing financial blows to fishers and businesses and major event cancellations.

Business owners and the Coastguard welcomed news the state government’s dredging contractor Hall Contracting cleared the entrance last week.

But concerns have been raised over government budgets on the river entrance, after the build up of sand left fishers and marina operators thousands of dollars out of pocket.

Maroochydore MP Fiona Simpson pictured speaking about the Mooloolah River entrance. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Trawler operator Leigh McJannett estimated he lost $100,000 in the past six months, and De Brett Seafood owner Gary Heilmann said he was about $20,000 a month worse off in fuel sales while large trawlers were based elsewhere.

Mr Heilmann said he wrote to the state government earlier this year calling for urgent action as the entrance began to silt up, but felt “ignored”.

“Every time the entrance silts up the government needs to be dragged kicking and screaming to fix it,” he said.

“It’s not until businesses suffer economic losses and boats are damaged that they do the work.”

Maritime Safety Queensland general manager Kell Dillon said no amount of dredging would have prevented the shoaling near the entrance, which occurred as a result of extreme weather.

The state government refused to reveal how much it spent annually on dredging the Mooloolah River entrance.

Maroochydore MP Fiona Simpson said it was lucky lives were not lost as boaties attempted crossing the dangerous bar.

She called for the state government to pump more funds into its dredging budget to allow for timely emergency dredging.

Ms Simpson acknowledged the extraordinary weather conditions but said the river entrance had been an issue for years.

She likened it to a “marine highway” and said the economic loss was unacceptable.

“We wouldn’t put up with it getting to this condition if it was a bitumen road,” she said.

“There is a critical need for a more timely budget to allow earlier intervention, until there’s a more permanent solution.

“You can’t skimp on the budget when what you have is a closed marine highway.

“This has been devastating for fishers, the tourism industry and emergency services who have been put at risk.”

Ms Simpson said the owners of the larger dredge were approached about the issue, but not formally engaged.

Mr Dillon said its contract for the Mooloolaba Harbour dredging was commercial in confidence.

Maritime Safety Queensland revealed in May, 2022, it had put Port Frederick on standby to clear the entrance, however the larger dredge never arrived.

Vessel tracking data revealed that the 50m long vessel, owned by McQuade Marine, was at Scarborough.

Mr Dillon confirmed in response to questions from the Daily that the dredge was put on standby but no extra costs were incurred.

He said extreme weather events restricted dredging efforts this year.

“No amount of dredging before the series of weather events could have prepared the area for what was to come with record breaking rain through February, March and May, combined with high-winds and storms,” Mr Dillon said.

“A larger dredge would have also been restricted during this time, as would any alternative contractor.”

With recent settled weather, the dredger has made good progress and the heavy silting that had been causing problems is...

Posted by Coast Guard Mooloolaba QF6 on Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Mr Dillon said the Hall Contracting contract was renewed annually and depended on the frequency and length of shoaling.

He said improved weather and swell conditions over the past week allowed dredging from Hall Contracting to create a safe channel into Mooloolaba Harbour.

He said large, ongoing shoaling in 2020-21 required Hall Contracting to almost continuously dredge the harbour entrance from September to November, 2021.

The dredge was based at the river in February, 2022, but Mr Dillon said it was only able to dredge for a limited number of days due to extreme weather.

Mr Dillon said Maritime Safety Queensland would continue to work on a long-term solution, after it revealed in May, 2022, that its preferred option was to extend the eastern breakwater by 60m.

Hall Contracting owner Cameron Hall said the entrance to the river was cleared as of last week. Photo: Patrick Woods.

Community consultation was expected to start later this year.

Sunshine Coast-based Hall Contracting owner Cameron Hall said the entrance was cleared to a depth of 2.5m, with work continuing to dredge to 3.5m and clear some shoaling to the east and west of the entrance.

“It’s been great to see the co-operation between the users of the channel and the dredge crew during this fine weather we’ve had to allow us to clear the entrance,” he said.

“The problem has been fixed for the time being.”

Mr Hall would not comment on the state government contract but said it equated to about one per cent of the business’s dredging revenue.