Posted on June 18, 2025
The Tuggerah Lakes Care (TLC) group is hoping the imminent arrival of a new dredge for the Lake Macquarie local government area will provide some long-term relief for the Central Coast’s ailing lakes system.
The new dredge, named the Beaver 30, is to be built in The Netherlands by Royal IHC.
It is due for delivery to Lake Macquarie Council (LMC) early next year and is expected to be commissioned at Swansea Channel in June or July 2026.
Once Beaver is fully operational and the 2.5km of discharge pipeline is installed, regular dredging programs will be established by LMC.
Each dredging program should take four-six weeks and will remove about 20,000m3 of sand from the Swansea Channel to nourish Blacksmiths beach.
Once dredging work at Swansea is complete, the Transport for NSW Maritime Infrastructure Delivery Office (MIDO) will consider other locations where the dredge can be used.
MIDO has identified 14 other coastal waterways in NSW where dredging is a priority in the NSW Coastal Dredging Strategy, and although Ettalong Channel has made the list, Tuggerah Lakes and The Entrance waterways did not make the cut.
TLC spokesperson Graham Hankin said from a community perspective there was a major disconnect between the NSW Government (MIDO) and Central Coast Council (CCC) when it came to dredging policy.
“There appears to be no commitment for a maintenance dredging policy, no proactive commitment to mitigate floods, an incomplete floodplain risk management plan and no quality sand nourishment programs for our beaches,” he said.
“It’s time for councillors to take the lead and develop robust policies that will improve flood mitigation.
“Like Lake Macquarie Council, CCC needs to develop a mature professional partnership with the NSW Government (MIDO); a partnership which represents the real needs of our community.
“The recent flood was a wake-up call that a major flood (1.6m AHD) could have eventuated.
“CCC should acknowledge that delays in beach berm excavation work and poor community messaging can be improved.”
A Council spokesperson said staff have had discussions with MIDO and expressed an interest for its use and application in The Entrance Channel as a potential source of sand for beach nourishment.
“Initial advice from MIDO is that the dredge will initially be deployed to Lake Macquarie and would then potentially be available for use in other locations from late 2026 at the earliest,” Council said.
“However, MIDO have advised that while The Entrance Channel would be considered for inclusion on the dredging schedule, and it would be in the interests to maximise utilisation of the dredge beyond Lake Macquarie, there is currently no funding for such a program at The Entrance Channel, and the state government has currently only funded procurement of the dredge, and use of it, at Lake Macquarie.
“Despite approaches to the state government by Council in the past for inclusion of The Entrance Channel as a key (dredging) investment location, requests for inclusion have so far not been supported.
“Council will continue discussions with MIDO and the NSW Government of possible future funding.”
