Australia’s Largest backhoe dredge, The Woomera has arrived in Townsville to begin the $232 million dollar project to widen the port’s shipping channel.
The dredge, welcomed by traditional owners holding a smoking ceremony, is set to dig 30 swimming pools worth of ocean sediment over 2 years to widen the channel, which backers say will attract larger vessels to dock in Townsville as opposed to Brisbane.
Concerns persist among underwater tourism groups that the dredging may negatively affect visibility on important pieces of the Great Barrier Reef and have a negative impact on tourism and the environment overall.