Sunshine Coast Council
A project to improve beach amenity and provide long-term protection of the foreshore between Alexandra Headlands and Cotton Tree is set to start in August and will run for two months.
A small dredge will be assembled at Mudjimba and remain off the coastline throughout the project while it is used to pump 50,000m3 of sand from the lower Maroochy River.
The sand will also backfill the Maroochy groyne field, which is currently being replaced at the mouth of the Maroochy River.
Divisional Councillor Joe Natoli said that since the Maroochydore Beach Renourishment Project began in 2013 it had successfully protected the well-loved location.
“About every two years council replenishes the sand along Maroochydore Beach to widen the beach and uphold the erosion buffer,” Cr Natoli said.
“The buffer protects important community infrastructure such as the surf lifesaving towers, viewing decks, car parks, roads, park and playgrounds from severe erosion caused by storms, swells and weather events.
“This buffer needs to be approximately 50 metres wide to provide certainty of protection to these areas during an extreme storm.
“Sand renourishment, dune revegetation and protection, and limiting beach access points are all part of the current shoreline management approach on Maroochydore Beach which is expected to continue for many years to come.”
Access to the Nojoor Road boat ramp, Mudjimba, will be restricted from 21–24 July to allow for assembly of the dredge that will be used to extract the sand.
Sand pumping will begin around the Maroochydore groyne field from 1 August using a pipeline that has been in place since 2013.
Sand will then be pumped along Maroochydore Beach, beginning at Alexandra Headland in the south before moving north to the Maroochydore SLSC.
Access to some of the car park on Cotton Tree Parade and Memorial Avenue, Cotton Tree and the nearby beach and sand spit will be restricted for the safety of our community.
A booster pump located in the south east corner of the car park will push sand up the pipeline. It’s housed in an insulated storage container to minimise noise impacts.
Work will take place between 7am and 6pm Monday to Friday and on Saturdays if required.
