The City of Greater Geelong will begin dredging at Eastern Beach this week to try and reduce the build-up of sea grass within the famous swimming enclosure this summer.
The dredging program will start today and is expected to run for two weeks, depending on weather conditions.
Swimming inside the promenade enclosure will be restricted during the dredging project.
The dredging is undertaken under an approved Environmental Management Plan to meet National Assessment Guidelines for dredging.
Spoil from the works will at first appear grey and have an odour but the smell dissipates, and the sand will change to yellow within a few days of its exposure to air. The spoil will be buried over with clean sand.
The dredging is part of the City’s ongoing work to make improvements to Eastern Beach and follows a major redevelopment of the Beach House pavilion in 2019.
A review of the Conservation Management Plan for Eastern Beach is expected to commence in the coming months. This will ensure the future use, maintenance and improvements to the facility are in line with the site’s significant Heritage Victoria values.
Coastal process studies have been undertaken by the City of Greater Geelong to provide sustainable long-term management of the beach. A Beach Management Plan has been developed which includes actions for the:
- regular survey and monitoring of seabed and beach levels
- sand scraping/recycling from accreted areas
- beach nourishment with imported sand and dredged spoil
- maintenance dredging to ensure safe swimming.
For more information visit Eastern Beach Reserve.
Deputy Mayor Trent Sullivan – Chair of the Tourism portfolio
Eastern Beach Bathing Complex is one of the most recognisable features of Geelong and one of the most popular beaches in Victoria,” the Deputy Mayor said.
The beach reserve has been Geelong’s premier family-friendly destination for more than 80 years so it’s important we keep taking care of it.
We’ve tried a number of methods to reduce the build-up of sea grass over the years because it grows so easily. This year we’re dredging the top layers of the seabed to try and ensure swimmers can enjoy clearer water this summer.
Councillor Peter Murrihy – Chair of the Leisure and Recreation portfolio
Eastern Beach is an iconic location for Geelong.
The experience of swimming at Eastern Beach this summer will be enhanced by the work we are doing now to improve the water quality.
