Latest Mackay Seaport News

Breakwater assessment to be undertaken

Originally published on 27 July 2005

Operations Manager John Kraft checks damaged wiring on the Harbour breakwater.

The southern breakwater at Mackay Harbour will be closed until at least the weekend, after the structure was pounded for almost a week by strong winds and four-metre seas.

Mackay Port Authority environmental manager Scott Keane said a detailed assessment of the breakwater would be carried out by consultants before the structure was reopened to the public. Some of the roadside kerbing has been eroded by the big seas and electrical wiring to a navigational light has been damaged, he said.

MPA workers have been busy this week clearing the road way of large rocks that were lifted by huge waves from the sea floor onto the road. Mr Keane said a safety and structural assessment of the breakwater was conducted after each wild weather event. At this stage the southern breakwater won't be reopened until possibly Saturday or Sunday, he said.