Gippsland boaters guaranteed top ocean access
A new dredge has arrived to help make the Lakes Entrance bar safer for all boatersA new purpose-built dredge has started work to deliver safe and reliable ocean access for the thousands of recreational and commercial vessels that cross the Lakes Entrance bar every year.
Maintenance dredging at Lakes Entrance has been going on for more than 120 years and is vital to provide a reliable entrance to the Gippsland Lakes.
As well as being home to Victoria’s largest commercial fishing fleet, the Port of Gippsland Lakes services commercial vessels and offshore oil and gas suppliers.
Minister for Ports Luke Donnellan said the new $23m dredge called Tommy Norton will safeguard recreational boating and commercial fishing in, and through the Port of Gippsland Lakes.
"We said that we’d get a new, purpose built dredge for the Gippsland Lakes – and that’s exactly what we’ve done."
Maritime industries in Gippsland are worth an estimated $200 million to the local economy each year.
Maintaining ocean access also reduces the risk and severity of flooding for local communities at Lakes Entrance, Paynesville and Metung and the surrounding agricultural regions.
The Tommy Norton is a new 60-metre Trailing Suction Hopper Dredge built by Dutch company Damen at its Yichang Shipyard in Hubei province, China.
Gippsland Ports will operate the Tommy Norton from Lakes Entrance with a crew of four people recruited locally and from interstate.
The Tommy Norton
Having a permanent dredge will reduce Gippsland Ports’ costs and reduce the risk of introducing invasive species from foreign dredges.
More at Visit East Gippsland.
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