IN a shire wide foreshore audit Port Stephens Council is currently removing illegal dinghies and abandoned boats from the beaches.

“The area of Corlette has already been done with a very large number of craft being removed to the Council Works Depot,” Councillor Steve Tucker said.

“If they are unclaimed after two months they are then given over to the Salamander Recycling Centre,” he said.

“Boats in a sound seaworthy condition or ones which can easily be repaired are then gifted to the men’s shed. They in turn can do them up, sell them and use the funds for the ongoing  running costs of their shed.”

Council will give the owners of the boats on the beaches fair warning by a highly visible sticker placed on the hull.

“The Tilligerry foreshore will be subject to an audit and a clean up in the very near future,” Cr Tucker said.

“In some areas such as the beach at Henderson Park, the public can hardly move due to the number of small boats on the sand. That’s going to change and the sooner the better.”

 

By Geoff WALKER