Ocean and estuary waters of the Dawesville Channel meet

5/4/94

The ocean and estuary waters of the Dawesville Channel at Mandurah met for the first time today when Transport Minister Eric Charlton dug through the last bund wall separating the waters.

The work allowed the ocean waters to flow into the Peel-Harvey estuary in the State's biggest maritime engineering project since the construction of Fremantle harbour.

Workmen from Thiess Contractors began removing the dirt wall at 6.30 am today, and at 8.30 am the Minister operated an excavator to remove enough of the bund wall to allow the waters to meet.

It will take workmen another week to completely excavate the wall.

The bund wall is about one and a half metres above the water level. Water in the channel is four and a half metres deep except near the ocean entrance where it is six and a half metres deep.

Mr Charlton said the Dawesville Channel was one of the largest coastal engineering projects ever undertaken in Western Australia.

It had been designed and project managed by the department of Transport's Maritime Division, formerly Marine and Harbours.

"The $54 million project has been ahead of schedule at each stage of development and has been built under a fixed price contract negotiated by the department," Mr Charlton said.

"Originally, the project was costed at nearly $60 million.

"However, prompt work by DOT's Maritime Division and the Department of Planning and Urban Development in ensuring that all relevant advice and approvals for the development were made on time brought down the cost of the project to $54 million.

"It has meant a significant saving to the taxpayers of WA and demonstrates the benefits from co-operation between government and private sector in the development of public infrastructure."

Premier Richard Court will officially open the Dawesville Channel on Saturday, April 23.

The opening will herald the start of a weekend of celebrations in Mandurah, with the Endeavour replica and the Leeuwin sail training ship being the centrepiece.

Media contact: Dean Roberts 321 7333