BY PETER HYSLOP
The Stockton Beach Taskforce yesterday committed to moving 100,000 cubic metres of sand on the troubled shoreline, tentatively relieving locals who, for years, have been campaigning for more action.
A grant of $6.2 million will fund the temporary fix, but the new sand is expected to last less than a year, with annual erosion eclipsing the estimated replenishment.
146,000 cubic metres is estimated to be lost annually.
Meantime, a blueprint on how to spend the $21 million allocated to the long-term refurbishment of the beach by the state government, is currently being drawn-up.
Taskforce Chair and Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty, says the state government is committed to action for locals.
"We're very committed to make sure we can get to work straight away on rectifying Stockton Beach...the first meeting yesterday was a positive one," she said.
"We've had a tender out for dredging which closed earlier this month. We're expecting to award a contract in September. Once we've got approvals to place it on the beach we'll be getting started on that work very very soon.
"I know there's a lot of frustration in the community about how long this has taken, but we've already started the work to get this moving.
"It's unacceptable that this has been in the "too hard" basket for so long," she said.
