Move to use Abbot Point dredge material to create ‘dynamic reef’

Reef Worlds, a Los Angeles-based underwater artificial reef designer, has proposed taking the 3m cu meters of dredge material produced at Abbot Point and “fixing it in place” by creating a series of art structures. 

 

A spokesman for the company said Australia needs to continue to attract underwater tourism to the region and protect the Great Barrier Reef.

In addition, “dynamic reefs” are designed to create both a sustainable underwater habitat and tourism for the region.

The amount of proposed dredged material mixed with a low PH concrete could create an additional 10 sq miles of marine habit that also acted as a focus for Australian artists interested in expressing Australian culture though artificial reefs, the spokesman added.

Dredging at Abbot Point will begin in March 2015.

Reef Worlds director of development Dave Taylor said the company is currently working on unique habitat tourism projects in the UAE and has plans to expand across the world with forward thinking waterfront resort developers from Dubai to the Philippines in places where tourism and regional habitat could use a boost.

“We will work with carefully selected underwater habitat projects that directly support our clients’ sustainability and revenue goals,” Mr Taylor said.

Artificial reefs in the US state of Florida are said to generate close to US$250m dollars in direct tourism revenues.

“Giving new tourism life with dredging spoils that create and build tourism and habitat spaces along coastlines is in the best interests of all parties currently mired at Abbot Point with no solution in sight,” Mr Taylor added.

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