Work to extend the rock training wall at Blanche Point in St Helens could begin as early as August after the state government opened the project for tender.
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The upgrade will see the existing training wall extended by 160 metres to the north-east in an effort to provide safer and easier access to vessels coming in and out of Georges Bay.
Announcing the tender on Saturday, Infrastructure Minister Rene Hidding said the state government would contribute $589,000 to the project, while Marine and Safety Tasmania and Break O'Day Council have committed $250,000 and $200,000 respectively.
“The training wall was completed in 1984, but over time has diminished in effectiveness due to a constant build-up of sand,” Mr Hidding said.
"While dredging has been completed, it is not an ongoing sustainable option and MAST has been working on a longer-term solution that includes the extension of the existing training wall.”
Developers are now awaiting the results of a development application seeking to extricate the required 10,500 cubic metres of stone from a quarry near Lord’s Point before the project can go ahead.
Break O'Day mayor Mick Tucker said the project had been a long time coming and hoped it could be completed as soon as possible.
“We're very confident that the extension to the existing training wall will make a huge difference to capturing the sand in behind it, which will create a deeper and more direct channel into Georges Bay,” Cr Tucker said.
“As a council we believe the project is a project of extreme significance to make our port navigable for ocean vessels and commercial vessels to unload their fish product and use our port for provisions and for maintenance.”
Cr Tucker said the barway was an significant piece of infrastructure for the town.
“It's very important to the employment and the economy in our area that we have a barway that is open to all vessels within reason to be able to use our facilities.
“You can't get cars into a town if you don't have the road and you can't get boats into a town if you can't get over the bar.”
Tenders for the project close at 4pm on July 29.