Northern Sands site inspection finds no evidence of spoil ‘mobilisation’
Speculation that mud sucked out of Trinity Inlet and stockpiled at a Holloways Beach quarry was washed through beachside homes following December’s Q100 event has been addressed by the state authority.
Cairns
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Speculation that mud sucked out of Trinity Inlet and stockpiled at a Holloways Beach quarry was washed through beachside homes following December’s flood event has been shut down by the state authority.
In 2019 one million cubic metres of mud was pumped from the bottom of Trinity Inlet into the Barron River flood plain in a project that finally allowed the opening up of the Cairns port to mega cruise liners.
The $127.6m project was a massive windfall that helped pub baron Tom Hedley get back on his feet, following delivery via a temporary pipeline, of the dredge spoil to pits at his Northern Sands quarry on the Captain Cook Highway.
However Mr Hedley took a back seat on the project spearheaded by Far North Queensland Ports Corporation and funded by Department of Transport and Main Roads.
It’s reported the tradie turned tycoon pocketed about $10m from the deal after being financially crippled by the global financial crisis of 2009.
In January 2019 Cairns Regional Council granted permission for construction and subsequent removal of an 8km temporary pipeline from Yorkeys Knob to the Northern Sands Dredge Material Placement Area, located within the Barron River Delta.
The approval was accompanied by 70 pages of conditions that have been applied by the council and relevant Queensland Government agencies.
Community chatter relating to whether dredge spoil was adequately contained after record breaking inundation of the area have now been dismissed by the Department of Environment.
“As required by the site’s Environmental Authority (EA), the dredge spoil was placed at a depth within the quarry void, in a manner designed to ensure it does not remobilise,” a department spokesman said.
“The material is required to remain at this depth in the pit and will eventually be covered by other material received by the quarry.
“Following Tropical Cyclone Jasper, staff undertook a site inspection of the Northern Sands facility and did not observe evidence of mobilisation of dredge spoil material from the pit.”
Despite government assurances that no mud left the area to be wash through Holloways Beach homes, lifelong Far North local Ian Locke suggested an independent assessment of the site was needed.
“Someone should go out there and have a look themselves,” he said.
“This is really important to get to the bottom of it to make sure the dredge spoil doesn’t leak out and the asbestos dump, what happened to that.
“Can we see a proper report, not just from the people that said it’s fine?
“It just concerns me a lot.
“After this big flood, it just concerns me how much long-term damage this might do.
“I just don’t know why it was put here in the first place, it’s ridiculous.”
In May 2022 Mr Hedley sold the 83Ha Northern Sands site for $1.1m to Christopher Lemke.
Boral Resources acquired the smaller 6,858sq/m land parcel containing a concrete batch plant for $2.2m in 2022.
Mr Hedley said he doubted water from the Barron River would be capable of shifting the dredge spoil due to flood water not rushing as strong current through the quarry.
Originally published as Northern Sands site inspection finds no evidence of spoil ‘mobilisation’
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