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DRAFT 25 -02-13

DRAFT 25 -02-13. Proposal to manage dredging spoil as a valuable resource for the betterment of Cairns community and economy. By: Norm Whitney & Peter Senior. KEY POINTS.

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DRAFT 25 -02-13

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  1. DRAFT 25-02-13 Proposal to manage dredging spoil as a valuable resource for the betterment of Cairns community and economy. By: Norm Whitney & Peter Senior

  2. KEY POINTS Ports North propose dredging the Trinity Inlet Channel and dumping this spoil near our reef, primarily to enable more large cruise ships to dock at the cruise terminal. Dredging spoil is potentially a valuable resource that should not be treated as waste. Ports North consider it acceptable to dump huge quantities of spoil near our reef. Most Cairns residents disagree. A more logical and longer-term approach: use this spoil for projects that benefit Cairns economy and community. Ourelected representatives on Cairns Regional Council, supported by Queensland State and Federal Government, are the right people to lead, expedite and make the most of this once-in-a-decade opportunity for the Cairns community and economy.

  3. Ports North plan to‘…enhance cruise ship visit numbers, involve dredging a broader and deeper entrance channel to allow port access for larger cruise ships and upgrading berth infrastructure within Trinity Inlet.’ (Ports North AIS report, July 2112) Ports North propose dredging ‘5,073,600’ m3 of spoil and dumping this at an extended area near the reef out from Yorkeys Knob. This proposal presumably meets Ports North imperative for least cost and compliance with State Government "directive or policy".

  4. Even if some bureaucrats in Brisbane approve the extended dump site, do YOU want 5+ million cubic metres of dredging spoil dumped near our reef?

  5. Dredging spoil can be a valuable resource. There are numerous opportunities to use this massive amount of spoil in on-land projects that could benefit Cairns’ economy and community. These on-land projects all need proper evaluation, as required by the new Queensland Coordinator’s EIS Terms of Reference. Ports North stated in a presentation to the CRC on 12 December 2012: ‘The existing offshore dredge material placement site is in an optimumlocation’. Question 1: ‘Optimum’ for whom? Ports North, or Cairns Community and economy? Question 2: How can ‘optimum’ for Cairns community and economy be known before proper assessment is carried out?

  6. Question: If spoil is a valuable resource, would it make sense to dredge out more than the minimum amount proposed by Ports North? This could avoid ‘introducing some tidal constraints to access by the cruise ships’* as well as doubling the amount of spoil available for projects using this spoil for the betterment of Cairns. * Reference: Ports North AIS report, July 2012 ‘This iterative design process allowed a reduction of channel dredge volumes from 10,058,000 m3 to a final dredge volume of 5,073,600 m3. This reduction in volumes was achieved through the optimisation of channel width and more critically by establishing a channel depth, that while introducing some tidal constraints to access by the cruise ships, achieved significant dredge volume reductions.’

  7. Just one indication of the value of spoil: Portsmith commercial area was created using dredging spoil from the Trinity Inlet.

  8. A deeper channel could allow larger liners such as Queen Mary II to dock at Cairns Cruise Terminal, and allow greater flexibility for arrival and departure times for other cruise, naval and commercial ships.

  9. Imagine filling Cazalys Stadium with 5 million m3 spoil. Eiffel Tower 320 metres 250 metres deep

  10. …. Or having 15 million m3 ofthis potentially valuable resource available for on-land projects in Cairns! Eiffel Tower 320 metres 750 metres deep!

  11. Cairns would have had this magnificent resort at East Trinity, opposite the cruise terminal. But the Queensland Labor Government withdrew approval. A still-secret negotiation resulted in the NatWest bank being paid, rumoured to be many millions of dollars of YOUR MONEY in compensation. The next photos show what over 10 years of gross mis-management of this land by State and Federal government departments has produced.

  12. East Trinity, 8 years ago. East Trinity, November 2012. Note the dead melaleucas. Spoil bulk-fill could assist fixing this environmental disaster.* * Reference: 1995 Brannock report on East Trinity, Page 5.6:'The results of the geotechnical investigations are present in a background report (Golder Associates 1995)…It is evident from this analysis that the composition of the material will form an engineered fill of sufficient quality for most, in not all, the bulk fill requirements of the East Trinity site.'

  13. Imagine you’re a Chinese tourist, or a visitor with an RV, or a local resident, which would you prefer? This …

  14. Or this? An even better Esplanade beach than Townsville! Graphics by local artist, Csaba Sreder Plus an RV-Park, Parkland, and a quiet bird -watching area

  15. ‘…..But pumping spoil to on-land sites is more expensive’ Several potential on-land projects require huge amounts of fill. All these projects could attract revenue from developers. This revenue could offset spoil pumping costs. Project proposals in need of urgent assessment include: New Naval base and new tank farm on Admiralty Island Restoration of the highly polluted East Trinity area Extended beach by the Esplanade, plus RV park Extension to the Cairns Airport land

  16. Who supports on-land options? • The Hon. Warren Entsch MP, Federal Member for Leichhardt • Michael Trout MP, Member for Barron River Why have beneficial developments been stymied in the past? “A client of mine had a proposal to dredge the front of the Esplanade and build islands, canals and public spaces which was fully researched by DPI and Fisheries, and its economic feasibility demonstrated. Your spoil concepts were all included. This was in the 1980's under a National Government. A Labor Government came out of the political wilderness in Qld and the whole concept was immediately trashed. My client was ultimately partly reimbursed by the Government for breach of contract. Our local leaders and some of the public had been persuaded by the Greens and the Labor Politicians, based on false and/or irrelevant information.” Quote by a well-known and respected Cairns professional, 24-02-13.

  17. Whoshould ensure our Cairns economy and community get the most out of this massive amount of valuable resource? • Ports North imperatives are least-cost and compliance with State Government directive or policy; their dredging proposal includes 2 years for the EAS assessment,then 12 months to dredge the channel. Our elected representatives on Cairns Regional Council, supported by Queensland State and Federal Government, are the right people to lead, expedite and make the most of this once-in-a-decade opportunity for the Cairns community and economy.

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