Whilst the NSW State Government has recently announced limited funding for dredging the Swansea Channel there is a need for ongoing remedial action.
BIA Life member Doug Olding is now a fulltime resident of Lake Macquarie and has personal experience with the continuing silting up of the Swansea Channel, which “has become a yearly disaster”.
The issue is that Council/ Sate Government do not do maintenance dredging, they only do emergency dredging when cruisers and yachts can no longer pass up or down the channel.
When the channel becomes un-navigable, it takes months to mobilise the dredge and thousands of boats are advised by Marine Rescue NSW to bypass the lake and go to Newcastle or Pittwater.
The Royal Motor Yacht Club Toronto is backing a petition to State Parliament which is requesting a proper planned maintenance dredging program.
If you are a NSW resident and can help by joining this petition, please go to tinyurl.com/y46q889r
