Coffs Harbour Regional Boat Ramp

Cutter Suction Dredge (CSD) Operations

The floating Cutter Suction Dredge (CSD) will be onsite and operate occasionally in areas with sand build-up, particularly along the western side of the breakwall. There will be no disruption to public use of the boat ramp while the CSD is in operation.

Regular Sand Pump Operations

Sand pumps will continue to operate regularly as needed, addressing sand accumulation in the navigational channel.

Rock Groyne

The new groyne is assisting to direct sand towards the sand pumps. We will continue to monitor the performance of the sand management system in varying weather conditions.

Breakwall

The end of the eastern breakwall has been raised to hopefully reduce the refracting wave action entering the channel as it wraps around the breakwall. It is hoped that this will slow or prevent the buildup of sand along the eastern side of the channel against the breakwall.

Gallows Beach Pipeline

The temporary Gallows sand pipeline has been installed allowing sand to be pumped direct to the northern corner of Gallows Beach.

System Review

The 12 month trial of the sand pumping system has concluded. The system will continue to operate under the current arrangements while a review of the trial is completed and a decision is made on the future sand management for the area.

The proposed project will be designed and constructed in two stages.

Stage 1 would include:

•     extending the existing breakwater by 75m
•     widening the existing boat ramp, adding an additional two lanes
•     new top surface over the existing boat ramp area
•     extending the existing pontoon
•     adding two new pontoons
•     dredging the existing boat ramp basin and channel as part of an ongoing dredging program at this site.

Stage 2 (late 2022) would include:

•     extending the existing main carpark to include additional parking for cars, boats and trailers
•     new carpark entrance at the western end of the carpark
•     blocking the entry adjacent to the boat ramp off Jordan Esplanade (for safety reasons)
•     diverting traffic along Jordan Esplanade road opposite the main carpark
•     new road signage
•     new rigging and de-rigging bays around the main carpark
•     a new shared pathway (2.5m) for walking/cycling
•     new amenities facility
•     new Lighting and signage
•     recreational furniture including seating and tables
•     pedestrian pathway on south side of Jordan Esplanade with access to Gallows beach carpark and to amenities facility in the main carpark area
•     landscaping
•     extending services, including water, power and sewerage.

The Coffs Harbour boat ramp is located in a small basin on the southern side of the harbour. The original boat ramp and basin was constructed in the mid-1970s, and there is a history of reports by boaters of the difficulties launching and retrieving boats and navigating vessels through the entrance channel to the boat ramp.

The boat ramp basin regularly suffered from water level surges, making it difficult to secure boats coming into or leaving the ramp and operational difficulties were also experienced in the vicinity of the boat ramp during times that north-easterly swell entered the harbour.

In 2015 the boat ramp basin was extended to reduce some of impacts of the wave action on the structure. There are still impacts from the waves, particularly during low tide that are being addressed by the upgrades proposed in this project.

The Coffs Harbour Regional Boat Ramp Precinct Enhancement Committee (CHRBRPEC) comprises local boat ramp users who have a vision to develop the boat ramp precinct into a world class facility that will meet existing and future demands from local and visiting mariners.

The CHRBRPEC identified the need to upgrade the boat ramp to address safety and congestion concerns after a number of boating incidents. In particular over the 2018 Easter holiday period, over a dozen boats were washed onto rocks at the entrance to the boat ramp basin. Harbour City Council (CHCC) have endorsed the need for the project, and funding has been approved by Transport for NSW to undertake improvement works at the boat ramp facility.

• October 2021 project notification (PDF, 280.99 KB)
• August 2021 community update (PDF, 3.59 MB)

• Sand management plan (PDF, 1.04 MB)
• Review of Environmental Factors (PDF, 53 MB)
• Submissions report (PDF, 3.48 MB)

• Stage 1 (PDF, 1.51 MB)
• Stage 2 (PDF, 2.69 MB)

• 19 October 2023 Hydrographic Survey (PDF, 780.85 KB)
• 23 July 2023 Hydrographic survey (PDF, 4.85 MB)
• 9 May 2023 Hydrographic survey (PDF, 7.26 MB)
• 4 April 2023 Hydrographic survey (PDF, 3.68 MB)
• 3 March 2023 Hydrographic survey (PDF, 6.75 MB)
• 9 January 2023 Hydrographic survey (PDF, 6.51 MB)
• 14 December 2022 Hydrographic survey (PDF, 4.08 MB)
• 1 December 2022 Hydrographic survey (PDF, 8.1 MB)
• 31 October 2022 Hydrographic survey (PDF, 3.7 MB)
• 18 August 2022 Hydrographic survey (PDF, 1.34 MB)
• 29 July 2022 Hydrographic survey (PDF, 6.04 MB)
• 8 July 2022 Hydrographic survey (PDF, 2.59 MB)
• 30 June 2022 Hydrographic survey (PDF, 3.91 MB)

• 26 November 2020