Noosa Spit’s replenished Doggy Beach has reopened early after Noosa Council’s sand nourishment project finished two months ahead of schedule.
Mayor Frank Wilkie said the beach protected Noosa Sound from storm swells and offered people and their dogs a much-used recreational space.
“Erosion had a significant impact, but thanks to council’s project team and contractor, Hall Contracting, the river’s flow has been directed away from this recreational area and the replenished shoreline,” he said.
The Spit is an important part of the area’s coastal defence system, so a key goal of the project was to reinforce the spit to prevent the ocean breaking through during significant storm events.
The critical project involved pumping sand from designated collection zones to restore Noosa Spit and also to realign the main channel.
Chief executive officer and director of Hall Contracting, Cameron Hall, said Noosa Council tasked their team with completing the works by the end of September 2024 to protect seasonal migratory birds and minimise the impact on fish spawning and marine plants.
“We’re proud to have not only met but significantly exceeded that expectation, finalising the project in early July,“ he said.
“To achieve this, we planned the works carefully around the tides, stockpiling sand and using both a dredge and earthmoving equipment to position it whenever conditions were favourable.”
Mr Hall said the works had involved dredging approximately 85,000m3 of sand from a dedicated extraction zone.
Council and Hall Contracting had collaborated with Maritime Safety Queensland to accommodate the needs of recreational boaters throughout the project,” Mr Hall said.
“Ensuring a navigable channel was always accessible was a key priority, and we thank boat users for their support as we carried out these vital works.”
With the nourishment work now complete, the community can once again enjoy this beautiful area with improved resilience and protection.
The rejuvenated Doggy Beach is now open to the public.
