Last of Windang jetties removed, future solution unclear

Work has been underway to remove the collapsed jetties that have become an eyesore on the northern side of the entrance to Lake Illawarra, with removal works to be completed by the end of this week.

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The latest activity is one step forward in the saga of the jetties, after a dispute between Wollongong City Council and NSW Crown Lands over which body was responsible for the structures was resolved soon after the jetties were washed away in rushing water and strong winds in October.

Following clarification that the state government was responsible, contractors were engaged to remove the collapsed jetties in November.

At the time, a Department of Planning and Environment spokesperson directed boaters, fishers and swimmers to head south.

"Members of the public are recommended to instead use Reddall Reserve off Reddall Parade for recreation while work is underway," the department said in a statement.

Yesterday, with warm and sunny conditions, locals and visitors shunned Windang in favour of the southern bank, local resident Peter Tornaros said.

"All of those small businesses are going to suffer because people are going straight over the bridge to Lake South," he said.

"That's sad, there's so much potential."

While the past two weeks have seen a flurry of activity to remove the collapsed jetties, including excavators to remove the jetty structures and scuba divers removing submerged remnants, what happens next is unclear.

Wollongong council, Shellharbour council and the NSW government are working on a study into options for redirecting the flow of the entrance to Lake Illawarra. Community engagement is expected to commence next year.

The results of this study will determine what jetties will be constructed in future.

The Department spokesperson said investigations will take place to see if a temporary or permanent jetty can be rebuilt.

"The foreshore and lake-bed at this location are unstable due to currents and erosion that have been exacerbated by the opening of the lake to the ocean by the former Lake Illawarra Authority," the spokesperson said.

"Wollongong and Shellharbour councils, with input from the department, are developing a Lake Illawarra entrance management plan which will include options to manage foreshore erosion going forward."

With the northern bank eroding at a speed of one metre a year, locals say major works need to be undertaken to stabilise the Windang foreshore.

"They've got to redirect the water," Mr Tornaros said. "They need to stabilise and move the channel across. You've got a huge sandbar that is directing water to the Windang side."

On Friday, the NSW government announced half a million dollars for boating infrastructure around NSW as part of the Boating Asset Maintenance Program. No projects in the Illawarra were successful in receiving funding.

A Wollongong council spokesperson said works were underway to prepare the Windang foreshore for the summer months.

"we have been upgrading the Council owned assets around the Windang Foreshore to make it easier and more attractive for people to use the area. Recently, Council staff installed new wheel stops to reduce parking incidents, replaced some of the log fencing with sandstone blocks, and given the area a tidy-up with our mechanical brooms and water trucks," the spokesperson said.

"Over the busy summer period, we'll continue to care for this important public space with additional bin collections and public toilet servicing along the foreshore. This is part of Council's broader focus to increase the servicing of our foreshore areas that are popular and well-used over peak holiday times."

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