Maintenance Dredging at Nelly Bay Harbour
| Investment | $2.85 million |
|---|---|
| Jobs | 20-30 |
| Goal | 4.4.1 – Provision of well-maintained fit for purpose recreational and open spaces. 4.4.4 – Level of amenity (quality and quantity) to match a growing population. |
| Strategic Purpose | Enhance the use of the harbour by tourism operators and private owners and ensure all canal berths are available for use. Maintain reasonable navigable depths for both commercial and recreational boating activities in the Nelly Bay Marina, in line with the Council’s maintenance responsibilities. |
| Status | Preliminary works |
Project Update
Following record-breaking rainfall in late 2024 and early 2025, maintenance dredging in Nelly Bay Harbour has been deferred to allow the repair and replacement of damaged road and bridge infrastructure in the Nelly Bay area.
You can find more information about Council’s dredging and management plan on this project page, and in particular through our Q&A document.
Council is committed to engaging with local communities and will share more information closer to the start of any dredging works.
Project Background
Townsville City Council is responsible for maintenance of the canal sections in Nelly Bay Harbour. Sidecasting activities in the Nelly Bay Marina in 2019 and 2023 temporarily addressed sediment accumulation affecting vessels using the marina berths. However, recent hydrographic surveys show maintenance dredging is required to restore the canal sections to their original design depths.
Project Overview
Carrying out this maintenance will include:
- preparing and organising Council’s Kelly Street site for the management of dredged material
- dredging Nelly Bay Marina to remove around 7,000m3 (annual limit) of material from the canal sections
- moving the dredged material from Nelly Bay Marina to the Kelly Street site and managing the material for the purpose of recycling
- using the recycled dredging material across the island for various purposes.
Stage 1
To ensure dredged materials are managed efficiently, works have started to prepare Council’s site at 55-77 Kelly Street.
This was identified as the only feasible site for managing dredged material after evaluating a number of alternative locations, which were found to be unsuitable.
Works at Kelly Street will include preparation of the site, some fencing and the construction of embankments and walls to form barriers to retain and manage the dredged material in accordance with the relevant environmental conditions of approval.
Operations on the Kelly Street site started in May 2024 and will continue in stages up until Council begins dredging.
Stage 2
Based on investigations by Council, 10,000m3 of material needs to be removed from the Nelly Bay Marina seabed and waterways to return the canals to their required depth.
This will provide safe navigable depths for both commercial and recreational boating activities in the Nelly Bay Marina. During the work a barge will extract the material for transport to Kelly Street site via truck.
Work will begin during 2024/25 financial year and the dredging itself is expected to take around two months.
Dredging work must be carried out at the appropriate time to ensure minimum impact on the marine environment (for example, not impacting coral spawning), maintain access to the marina and canals during significant events such as Magnetic Island Race Week and so that work can be done in the most efficient and effective way.
Stage 3
Council will manage the dredged material and prepare it for reuse across the island as part of our commitment to a circular economy that advances business and moves towards zero waste. Additional information regarding use of this material will be made available.
Documents
- Nelly Bay Dredging Community Presentation (PDF, 2.7 MB)
- Nelly Bay Dredging EPBC Self-Assessment (PDF, 7.9 MB)
- Nelly Bay Dredging Sediment Investigation Report (PDF, 4.3 MB)
- Dredge Material Management Facility Site Map (PDF, 714.6 KB)
- Nelly Bay Dredging Q&A (PDF, 731.3 KB)
