Leader of The Nationals WA and Member for Mid-West Shane Love MLA has called on the State Government to urgently intervene to restore safe boat access to the Carnarvon Fascine.
Mr Love delivered a grievance in Parliament this week on behalf of the Carnarvon community, saying local boat owners, tourism operators, and recreational users are frustrated as the Fascine entrance has silted up less than two years after the project’s completion.
“Carnarvon residents have watched with disbelief as the Fascine entrance, the focus of a multimillion-dollar State Government project, is once again closing up,” Mr Love said.
“Locals warned this design would fail, and sadly, they were right. After waiting seven long years for the Fascine to be reopened, they now face losing access again just 18 months later.”
“The dredged material placed on the Babbage Island spit has been washed away, with sand drifting back into the entrance, exactly as locals predicted,” he said.
“A Department of Transport Notice to Mariners issued in February this year warned that shifting sandbars are severely restricting navigation, and now the entrance is effectively impassable for many vessels.”
The problem has rendered the $3 million Fascine Boat Ramp virtually redundant, forcing visiting boats into the Department of Transport Boat Harbour among commercial trawlers, where pen fees are double those charged by the Yacht Club.
“A key goal of the original project was to separate commercial and recreational marine traffic. That hasn’t happened, we’re right back where we started,” Mr Love said.
“Even worse, the lateral channel markers have been removed because the entrance keeps shifting, leaving boat owners navigating blind and raising serious safety and insurance concerns.”
Mr Love said Carnarvon locals want immediate dredging and a long-term engineering solution, such as a rock wall, to prevent the Fascine from silting up again.
“They’ve even proposed a locally designed channel along the south bank of the fascine that could be excavated largely with land-based machinery, a far cheaper and more sustainable option.”
Acknowledging the Fascine requires attention, the Minister for Transport informed Parliament that surveyors would be sent to Carnarvon to assess the situation.
Mr Love said the situation underscores the consequences of failing to properly consult regional communities and undermines confidence in government decision-making.
“Carnarvon is a vital and safe haven for vessels travelling the West coast. The Government’s short-term approach has delivered a poor return on investment and left the town’s marine tourism at risk.”
Mr Love said the Minister for Transport must act quickly to dredge the entrance, reinstate channel markers, and support safe mooring access at the Boat Harbour while a permanent solution is found.
“The Fascine has enormous social, recreational and economic importance to Carnarvon,” Mr Love said.
“It’s time the State Government showed it understands that and delivered a solution worthy of Carnarvon”.