Offshore sand supply reduces trucks movements at Wonnerup Beach

The need to truck sand to widen Wonnerup Beach before winter has significantly reduced this year after sand from a nearby offshore disposal site was successfully dredged and pumped to the shoreline.

Department of Transport (DoT) Director of Coastal Facilities Donna West said the innovative approach to erosion issues at Wonnerup would see truck movements reduced by two thirds this year with only 500 planned, compared with 1,500 usually.

“In February and March, at a cost of $350,000, more than 20,000 cubic metres of marine sand, built up at the offshore disposal area from years of dredging at the Port Geographe Marina entrance, was pumped to Wonnerup to provide part of the buffer needed to protect the beach during winter storms,” Ms West said.

“Unfortunately, sand volumes at the offshore disposal site are limited and can only be dredged every few years and an additional 10,000 cubic metres of sand are needed to replenish supplies to meet erosion demands at Wonnerup this year.”

Community access to parts of Wonnerup Beach will be temporarily restricted until mid-June as the trucks deliver locally sourced sand and earthmoving equipment is used to complete the widening work.  

Ms West said the initiative was a key recommendation of the Technical Working Group which last year reported on coastal management measures at Port Geographe following an expert investigation of the performance of the reconfigured coastline and community consultation.

“The success of the work at Wonnerup is pleasing and it follows good results at the Western Beach where other TWG recommended wrack management work last spring significantly improved beach amenity with a sandy shoreline present by early summer,” Ms West said.

For more information about the work at Port Geographe visit our website.

Media contact: media@transport.wa.gov.au