Community
22 November, 2024
Work at start on all-abilities beach access
WORK is set to start on a new all-abilities beach access ramp from McGennan Car Park.
“This is an exciting project identified in the 2022 Beach Access Strategy,” Warrnambool City Council chief executive officer Andrew Mason said.
“We’re delivering this project in two stages, with the first to involve earthworks that will help fortify the dune.
“This will involve relocating some seaweed from the base to the top of the dune to restore the dune profile, which in some sections has eroded and become a sheer wall with the roots of dune vegetation exposed.”
Council is hoping that stage one of the project will be complete before the start of the summer holiday season.
The second stage will include the installation of the ramp, which will have a gradient that meets contemporary standards and will make the beach more accessible to more people.
“We’ll start on this part of the project in February after the peak summer period has passed,” Mr Mason said.
“We don’t anticipate the project causing too much disruption to people’s beach plans because we’ll be operating within a relatively small construction zone.
“We know that at times infrastructure along Lady Bay cops a pounding during storms and tidal surges.”
More recent beach access stairs have been designed to better cope with the conditions and feature enhanced footings and longer lasting materials including marine grade stainless steel and fibre-reinforced plastic.
The piles supporting the ramp will extend up to six metres below the beach surface.
The cost of the $518,000 (ex GST) contract to design and construct the new beach access will be shared between council ($368,000) and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action ($150,000).
The first stage will be delivered by JG Keast Excavations and the second stage by Civilnow; both local firms.
