Policy

Dredging and Spoil Disposal Policy

To provide a transparent, consistent and contemporary approach to environmental impact
management of dredging and spoil disposal in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

1. General will be determined by GBRMPA in

consultation with the relevant port
1.1 Proposals for dredging and spoil authority. In emergency situations the
disposal in the GBRMP will be assessed annual dredge volume may be revised.
in accordance with GBRMPA’s policy
for Environmental Impact Management. 2.3 Dredge spoil, which is contaminated
above the Maximum Levels defined in
1.2 Proponents must comply with the the National Ocean Disposal Guideline for
Dredged Materials 2002, must not be
National Ocean Disposal Guidelines for
disposed of to the GBRMP.
Dredged Material 2002.
2.4 An environmental levy based on
1.3 Dredging and spoil disposal are
environmental risk alternatives and
unlikely to be approved if these
cubic metre of spoil disposed to the
activities may damage sensitive
GBRMP will be charged to facilitate our
environments. general principles of user pays.

1.4 The methods used for dredging should 2.5 The environmental levy (section 2.4)
minimise the impact on the environment. will not apply to Queensland
Department of Transport and
1.5 The selection of disposal site is to Queensland ports that are party to a
provide the best overall environmental program of environmetal enhancement
outcome recognising the high and management activities that result in
conservation value of the GBRMP. The ongoing improvement to dredging and
proponent may be required to prepare a dredge material management practices
Long Term Management Plan for in the GBRMP.
ongoing works.

2. Specific Background
2.1 Disposal of dredged spoil to the marine Background information
environment in the GBRMP is to only
Dredging has occurred in the Great Barrier Reef
occur at a GBRMPA approved dumping
Region since the establishment of ports along
ground.
the Queensland coast. For example, dredging for
navigational purposes was first initiated in
2.2 Annual maintenance dredge spoil
Townsville in 1883 and in Cairns in 1888. Most
volumes for each spoil ground in the
large scale dredging and spoil disposal within
GBRMP will be capped to a limit, which
the GBRMP is associated with ports who
Policy : Dredging and Spoil Disposal

undertake such works to maintain port

accessability which is important to the regional
economy.
Furthermore, with the expansion of the tourist
industry and increasing recreational
requirements, the demand for all-tide access to
facilities such as boat ramps, canal
developments and marinas has rapidly
increased.
Dredging and the disposal of the associated
spoil within and adjacent to the Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) and the Great Silt curtains can be used to minimise impacts of turbidity and
Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA) sediment on adjacent sensitive environments.
have become contentious issues for the
GBRMPA, stakeholder groups and the general the potential to impact on some species, such as
public. If inappropriately managed, dredging turtles. While such instances are rare, additional
activities may impact areas of conservation measures such as fitting a turtle-deflecting
value through processes such as degradation of device to the head of a dredge can be used to
water and sediment quality, changes to the minimize risk.
hydrodynamic regime, smothering of benthic
flora and fauna, translocation of species and GBRMPA has developed these policies based on
removal of habitat. Such processes need to be historical Marine Park Authority decisions, best
carefully managed to ensure any adverse effects available scientific and management
are prevented or confined to areas of low information, community consultation and
conservation value. The establishment of a current GBRMPA practice. In the specific case of
formal dredging policy is seen as an essential a proposed environmental levy based on dredge
element in the successful management and spoil disposal, GBRMPA is keen to implement a
mitigation of environmental impacts associated new fee for this activity because of our general
with dredging and sea dumping in the GBRMP principles of user pays and equity to all users of
and GBRWHA. the Marine Park.
Most large-scale dredging and spoil disposal
associated with the activity of ports in
Queensland occurs in the GBRWHA (such as Legislation
Townsville, Mackay, Hay Point and Gladstone) Most of the proposals examined by GBRMPA
and this is outside the direct legislative are located in the inshore areas of the GBRMP,
responsibility of the GBRMPA. Environment often adjoining and sometimes straddling
Australia (EA) is the lead Commonwealth Federal, State and Local Government
agency for proposals which occur in the jurisdictions. Relevant legislation includes:
GBRWHA. EA will continue to liaise with
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975. The
GBRMPA and will have regard to this policy.
object of this Act is to make provision for the
There is one large dredging project currently establishment, control, care and development of
permitted in the GBRMP (Cairns port is a marine park in the Great Barrier Reef region.
permitted 500,000 cu m pa) and several smaller The main sections of the Act which apply to
scale capital dredging and spoil disposal projects structures include Discharge of waste (Section
have been completed for marinas such as Nelly 38J) , Removal of property (Section 38H),
Bay Boat Harbour. Restoration of the environment (Section 61A).
Regulations may be made regulating or
Some methods of dredging are preferred
prohibiting acts in the Marine Park (Section 66).
because they have less environmental impact.
For example, a cutter suction dredge is Under section 38 of the Great Barrier Reef
generally considered preferable to a dragline, Marine Park Act 1975 it is an offence to carry
bulldozer or grab. Mobile suction dredges have out an operation for the recovery of minerals
Policy : Dredging and Spoil Disposal

in the GBRMP, which may include some

dredging operations. There is also the Great

Courtesy of Port of Brisbane Corporation.

Barrier Reef Region (Prohibition of Mining)
Regulations 1999 which were gazetted on the 23
December 1999. These regulations identify
“mining operations” which include ‘operations
for the recovery of minerals’ as a prohibited
activity in the Great Barrier Reef Region but
outside the GBRMP.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations
1983. Regulation 117 states that GBRMPA must
make an assessment prior to making a decision
to grant a permissible activity in the Great Large suction dredge vessels are used to maintain navigation
Barrier Reef Marine Park. Part 8 – channels of Queensland ports.
Environmental Management Charge, contains
specific charges per quarter for structures and Definitions
discharge of waste.
Capital Dredging
Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Dredging for navigation, to enlarge existing
Conservation Act 1999. An approval under Part 9 channel, port, marina and boat harbour areas or
of the EPBC Act is not required for an action to create new ones. Dredging for engineering
(where that action would otherwise need an purposes, to create trenches for pipes, cables,
approval under the EPBC Act) if the action is immersed tube tunnels, to remove material
occurring in the GBRMP and the person is unsuitable for foundations and to remove
authorized to take that action under a permit, overburden for aggregate.
zoning plan or plan of management issued or
Long Term Management Plan (LTMP)
A LTMP is a strategic document, which
identifies all opportunities to reduce the need to
dispose to sea (including land disposal),
minimize the impact of spoil disposal on the
aquatic environment, and to remove sources of
contamination in the dredge spoil. A LTMP sets
performance indicators and monitoring to
achieve improvements.
Maintenance Dredging
Dredging to ensure that previously dredged
channels, berths or construction works are
maintained at their designated dimensions.
Sensitive Environments
Land-based disposal (or beach nourishment) of dredged sand Sensitive environments are areas that contain
is generally preferred to sea dumping.
populations or assemblages of organisms, or
habitats, that are considered to have significant
conservation and\or cultural heritage values.
made under the GBRMP Act 1975. GBRMPA is, Examples may include dugong protection areas,
however, required to seek and consider any fish spawning aggregation sites, seagrass beds,
advice of the Commonwealth Minister for the breeding areas, and diverse, rare or very old
Environment and Heritage in respect of such an coral assemblages.
action, prior to making any permit decision. Spoil Disposal
Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981 The relocation of dredge spoil from the dredging
employs measures to control unregulated site to a designated disposal site. Disposal sites
dumping at sea by a vessel, platform, aircraft or may include marine or land based receiving
facilities.
other man-made structures.
Policy : Dredging and Spoil Disposal

Barge mounted grabs have been used for dredging but they
can create turbid plumes.

References
ANZECC (2002). National Ocean Disposal Smith, A and Pollard, D. (eds) (1999) Policy and
Guideline for Dredged and Excavated Materials. Guidelines Aquatic Management and Fish
Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation. NSW Fisheries, Port Stevens
Conservation Council Publication. Research Centre, 86 pp.

Baird, R. (1998). Ocean dumping – an overview Voisey, C and Apelt, C. (2001). Recent Dredging
of the International and Domestic Regulatory Projects in Sensitive Areas in Queensland. CRC for
System. Environmental and Planning Law Journal Sustainable Tourism. 213 pp.
15, 3 174-189.
Further Information
Hopkins, E and White, M. (1998) Dredging,
Extraction and Spoil Disposal Activities: Contact GBRMPA’s EIM team by telephone
Departmental Procedures for Provision of Fisheries 07 4750 0700, email info@gbrmpa.gov.au.
Comments. Queensland Department of Primary
Industries, Fish Habitat Management Review
Operational Policy FHMOP 004, 78 pp. This policy will be reviewed in October 2007.
Morton, R and Nella, P. (2000) Capture of Sea
Turtles by the Sir Thomas Hiley – Opportunities October 2004
to Minimise Impacts, Brisbane Port Corporation,
23 pp.

2-68 Flinders Street

PO Box 1379 Townsville Queensland 4810
Telephone (07) 4750 0700 Fax: (07) 4772 6093
www.gbrmpa.gov.au