Construction of a $10million wave attenuator to create a safe harbour at Snug Cove is running behind schedule but should get underway in the second half of this year, according to Port of Eden Marina secretary Rob Bain.
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Dr Bain said he had hoped that the tender for the wave attenuator would have been available by Christmas.
“The process of finalising and getting approval for the procurement strategy has taken a bit longer than we expected,” Dr Bain said this week.
“We are hopeful that this process will be completed by mid-February.
“Once the detailed tender criteria are finalised, the NSW government will proceed to the process of calling for and awarding the construction tender.
“From a practical point of view, construction of the attenuator is unlikely to be able to proceed until the dredging work for the wharf extension project is completed as the attenuator is likely to be placed on the batter [slope] of the dredged channel.
“This probably means in the second half of 2017.”
The first meeting of the NSW government’s Eden Port Community Liaison Group for 2017 will be held on Wednesday, February 22, at which he hoped more details would be made available.
Dr Bain said because of the long lead-time associated with construction in Snug Cove, POEM had begun discussions with the NSW government over the proposed establishment of a marina.
There were two options, he said.
“Either seek a private developer from the outset, as in Batemans Bay, or for Crown Lands to build the shore requirements for a marina and construct the first phase of berths and lease it out to private enterprise.”
“This latter arrangement would be broadly similar to the approach the government has taken in Bermagui.”
Dr Bain said in order to achieve the best outcome for the town, it was important there was a good “fit” between the marina design and the overall master plan for Snug Cove.
Some broad criteria for the wave attenuator had been announced, including the need to maximise the area for a marina while not interfering with cruise ship operations or creating wave problems elsewhere in the port.
A decision of whether the wave attenuator is to be fixed or floating is yet to be announced.
Dr Bain said the increasing number of yachts visiting Eden and the frequency of requests that POEM was receiving for marina berths - including from Sydney to Hobart contender Wild Oats X1 which headed to Eden after pulling out of the race with broken hydraulics - underlined the potential for investment and jobs in Eden once there was a safe harbour and marina in Snug Cove.
In addition, holiday-makers with big fishing boats were asking for berths so they did not have to tow their boats back to their accommodation," he said.
Construction of both the safe harbour and wharf extension projects would be carried out in tandem where appropriate.
