In the December issue of Cruising Helmsman we ran a news item announcing the call for expressions of interest to construct a wave attenuator in Snug Cove, Eden. We have just received a letter that denounces the image used in that article as being misleading.
On research of the tender document the attenuator proposed is indeed different to that originally supplied to Cruising Helmsman by the authority. Since the tender is open to public comment only until January 19, we publish below the original story run in December and add the correspondence received correcting the error.
If you have an interest in the future of Eden and its necessity as a safe haven for sailors, then I suggest you read the following and follow the links and add your voice:
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The NSW Government has called expressions of interest for a wave attenuator in Snug Cove, according to Robert Bain, secretary of the Port of Eden Marina Association (POEM). This will be followed by tenders for construction for the Safe Harbour Project.
Eden is the only deepwater port for small vessels in South East NSW and East Gippsland. The addition of a safe harbour in Snug Cove will be very welcome by permanent and transiting boats, including the Sydney-Hobart fleet and cruising yachts.
The main criteria for the attenuator will be creating the maximum protected area in Snug Cove without impacting on the berthing pocket for the cruise ships and ensuring that marina wave requirements are met. ≈
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Eden marina opposition
Dear Phil
I write to provide an update in regard to the article on page 7 of the December issue of Cruising Helmsman about the proposed Eden Marina.
The NSW Government has announced the call for expressions of interest (EOI) in the design and construction of the wave attenuator needed to create an area of water protected from the SW gales that regularly assault Snug Cove. The documents released on the Department of Industry website include a 640 page review of environmental factors (REF). This REF outlines the 'preferred option' for the alignment and siting of the attenuator (s2.4) and is preceeded by an outline of the process by which this option was chosen.
Two things are obvious:
- the alignment and siting of the attenuator, which is vastly different to that shown in the CH article, will result in there being no marina developed in Snug Cove;
- the process of selection of the Preferred Option has been outsourced to a private consultant who firstly dismissed other options and then recommended its own option.
A significant body of work provided to the government over the last five years, by advocates of a marina in Snug Cove and many experts, was apparently dismissed by the consultant and is not even referenced in the REF.
This represents a betrayal of the expectations of the local and regional community; advocacy groups, particularly Port of Eden Marina Inc. (POEM, of which I am a member) and the whole boating community.
POEM has called for the process to be be halted and the REF withdrawn.
I urge all interested in this matter to look at the documents here: www.crownland.nsw.gov.au/crown_lands/coastal-harbours-and-river-entrances/eden/port-development-project/safe-harbour.
