Posted on November 7, 2017
By Jess Lodge, ABC News
Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR) is urging the Queensland Government to fund dredging at Round Hill Creek as a sand bar impedes search and rescue efforts of 1,200 square nautical miles of ocean.
The depth of the channel at Round Hill Creek means some boats are unable to get in and out when they need to.
“It is a worry and we have raised these concerns for the safety of rescue boat crews, the safety of people coming in and out the creek, and the safety of vessels up and down the coast,” said VMR Round Hill Secretary Josie Meng.
The channel used by the marine rescue service can get lower than 50 centimetres, or under half a metre, at low tide.
Ms Meng said it forces rescue crews to change their plans to work around the tide, altering search and rescue missions including the recent search for missing fishermen after a trawler capsized north of Bundaberg.
“This is getting very serious for our emergency service volunteers and the general community,” she said.
“A month ago or so we had a medivac and our biggest fear was that we couldn’t get out urgently,” she said.
“We had to wait for maybe half an hour. It doesn’t sound a long time, but it is when somebody’s in a medical situation. It is a worry.”
The Gladstone Regional Council is funding a $100,000 feasibility study into dredging the area.
But VMR recently wrote to the State Government requesting urgent funding to dredge the area as soon as possible.
Government says not a priority
The Queensland Government said there is “currently no funding available” to dredge the area.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads said due to persistent shifting in the seabed, dredging works would likely have only short-term benefits.
“Priority for our state-wide dredging program is given to access channels for marine facilities in the state’s ten boat harbours where the greatest number of boat users enjoy the greatest long-term benefits,” a Department spokesman said.
He said the Department is working with the local Volunteer Marine Rescue to set up a web-cam service at the creek’s entrance.
The LNP’s state Member for Burnett, Stephen Bennett, which takes in Agnes Water and Round Hill Creek, said it is not good enough.
“To hear that it’s not a priority, I just wonder what is enough?” Mr Bennett said.
“It is a busy port. It is a port of essential tourism, essential commerce, and more importantly the economic driver of the region.”
He said dredging the area is “a key priority” for him which he will continue fighting for if an LNP government is elected in the coming state election.
Source: ABC News
