PORT of Mackay’s Southern Breakwater is due to reopen this week, as extensive repairs have been completed.
The breakwater sustained extensive damage when Cyclone Debbie mauled the Queensland coast in March 2017.
North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation (NQBP) chief executive officer Nicolas Fertin said he was pleased to report repairs to the Southern Breakwater are complete.
“We are happy to be reopening the breakwater to vehicles in time for the Christmas holidays,” he said.
“NQBP has completed the repairs on budget and ahead of schedule.”
Mr Fertin said most of the damage to the breakwater was where the rock slope down towards the sea.
“Unfortunately, while it may only take a day for a cyclone to cause damage, it can take more than a year to rebuild,” he said.
Mr Fertin said it was important for the Mackay community to understand that while repairs are now complete, the breakwater is not cyclone-proof.
“The breakwater’s primary function is to provide a level of protection to the port and marina,” he said.
“Due to the fierce and unpredictable nature of tropical cyclones, with sometimes forces that are above the original design of our infrastructure, we will continue to plan for maintenance and repairs to all our breakwaters for many years to come.”
Repairs to all three of the Port of Mackay’s breakwaters are now complete, at an approximate cost of $14m.
More than 100,000 tonnes of locally supplied rock was placed onto all three breakwaters.
