Maritime Constructions announced last week that the dredging operations are well underway at Port of Apollo Bay for the Colac Otway Shire.
Colac Otway Shire Mayor, Jason Schram, said that the harbor dredging project involves shifting around 60,000 cubic meters of sand which has accumulated over the last twenty years and massively reduced access and function of the harbor.
“Two-thirds of the harbor will be dredged to a depth of about 3.5 meters – a harbor depth that we haven’t had since the 1950s,” he said.
Colac Otway Shire Council agreed earlier last year to continue managing the Port of Apollo Bay, which provides a $43-million economic benefit to the community, for a further three years following a service review detailing risks and opportunities.
According to the council, dredging and other upgrades will have a significant flow-on effect in terms of increased accessibility for current harbor users, visitation from itinerant vessels, recreational yachts and demand from fishing vessels.