LAKE Macquarie MP Greg Piper spoke in Parliament recently to urge the state government to help restore the health of LT Creek at Fennell Bay.
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'’The poor health of this waterway, due to extensive sedimentation, has long been a matter of concern for residents of the area and for the Lake Macquarie City Council,'’ Mr Piper said.
"There is a management plan in place, but the council needs state government support through the Environment Protection Authority and the Department of Primary Industries—Lands to put this into action.
“LT Creek appears as a brown and murky waterway, although long-time residents will tell you that this was not always the case,” he said.
"Those who have lived in the area for a long time, including some whose properties line the waterway, will tell you that as recently as the 1980s the water was clear, the creek bottom was sandy and marine life was abundant. It was a much more aesthetically pleasing waterway, conducive to recreational activity.'’
He said the creek suffers from high levels of suspended sediment, with run-off from the nearby Newstan Colliery and unsealed tracks among the sources.
A report to council in 2013 said dredging, if undertaken in conjunction with management measures to control the entry of sediment into the creek, would vastly improve water quality and promote the regeneration of plant and fish life in the creek.
“There are some obstacles to dredging, cost being the most significant,” he said.
Disposal of the dredged material was another, as it “would have to be treated for contaminants before being placed at a disposal site”.
“An option for disposal at Newstan Colliery was also considered and could be more cost-effective but this would involve negotiations with the Environment Protection Authority and the site owner. I favour that option.”
Mr Piper told Parliament the Newstan Colliery community consultative committee had a longstanding interest in the issue, and was ready to help in any way it could.
“I know that because I met with [the committee] and spoke to Margaret MacDonald-Hill, chair, and John Paul Young, a longstanding advocate for the local area who is keen to see this matter resolved in an area that he loves,” Mr Piper said.
