DEAR News Of The Area,

THE buildup of sand in the lower Myall River estuary from Corrie Island upstream to north of Tea Gardens is increasing noticeably.

Our local ferry operators are reporting daily groundings of their ferries on shallow areas of the river bottom and they estimate that access to Tea Gardens from Port Stephens Gardens may be impossible by early 2024.

They also advise our community members that they are seeking outside charters to cover the likely future loss of access to Tea Gardens.

Our ferry operators state that they carry an average of 1,500 passengers weekly between Tea Gardens and Nelson Bay, with an average expenditure on board their ferries of $75 per passenger.

Ferry passengers also spend extra amounts at each end of the service, boosting the Tea Gardens/Hawks Nest and Nelson Bay local economies.

Many tourists catch the ferries across from Nelson Bay to Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest Golf Club organises a ferry and golf package for visiting golfers staying on the southern side of Port Stephens.

Tea Gardens/Hawks Nest Chamber of Commerce and Tourism estimates that our local tourism business totals almost one million bed nights annually and is worth well over $60 million.

Myall Quays Community Association is located in Tea Gardens around a substantial lake which is part of our development.

Our lake is connected to the Myall River and is tidal.

Over the last several years, the lake has suffered from major weed infestations.

We have sought advice from NSW DPI and it is likely that this weed problem, which occurs in other marine environments in our region, has been caused by reduced tidal flush and a reduction in salinity levels in the Myall River.

Substantial dieback of mangroves has also occurred along several kilometres of the eastern shore of the Myall River around Swan Bay, which also appears to have been triggered by reduced salinity levels in Swan Bay due to shallowing of the entrance channel from the river.

The Myall River and Port Stephens are major attractions for our local tourism industry and many local businesses cater for boaters.

Tea Gardens has a recently updated slipway which is used by many boat owners in our region to service their vessels.

Continued deep water access to the slipway is essential to allow boats to be safely and efficiently floated onto it.

The Hexham Bridge Bypass Project is now well underway and road travel times from Sydney to our region will be substantially reduced once the project is completed.

Weekly and holiday tourist visitation will then no doubt substantially increase in our area throughout the year.

Myall Quays Community Association supports the immediate dredging of the lower Myall River and marine access routes into Port Stephens from the river to maintain safe boating, increase saline tidal flush in the river and ensure that our key ferry service operates safely and regularly at all stages of the tide.

There are more than 500 residents living in Myall Quays and they are vitally interested in the environmental health of our lake and the Myall River.

All our residents value the natural beauty and amenity of our area and are concerned to ensure that these great features are maintained into the future.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs Ann SCULLY,

Secretary,
Myall Quays Community Association.