State Government to spend $376k on design fix for Carnarvon fascine

The State Government has committed $376,000 to design a long-term solution for Carnarvon’s silted-up fascine waterway, according to WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti. “Dredging of Teggs Channel will begin in early July and the department will undertake a survey of the fascine to ascertain how much infilling has occurred during storm events,” she said. Ms Saffioti said her department had been working with Carnarvon Shire and the Gascoyne Development Commission on a Fascine Entryway Project steering committee. She said they met in May to find an interim solution and “progress a longer-term solution” to keep the fascine entrance open. “This follows the Shire completing a study to identify options for permanent solutions to fascine access issues, with a grant of $38,250 from the State Government,” Ms Saffioti said. Her comments came after North West Central Member Vince Catania called on the Government to commit to a “permanent and timely fix” for the waterway outlined in the Seashore Engineering report released in February. “With tourism in the north decimated, businesses collapsing and jobs disappearing, it’s time for the Government to take responsibility and urgent action to assist the tourism industry and community,” he said. Mr Catania said the Government failed to acknowledge a potentially “slow burning” ecological problem. He said this left both the community and tourists unable to access the Royalties for Regions-funded boat ramp and upgraded pens at Carnarvon Yacht Club. Access to the fascine has been difficult for small craft, and impossible for larger boats, since a sandbar formed at its entrance several years ago. It followed the 2011 installation of a $19 million steel wall around the waterway by Carnarvon Shire. The steel has rusted through in places, and was found to be of an unsuitable grade for the project.