Phil Davies Aerial Photography shot spectacular footage of Farquhar Inlet on Sunday and it reveals the beauty of the inlet, even as it is closed due to the movement of sand.

Calls to dredge and appeals to shift sand from Farquhar to Old Bar Beach tend to dominate community discussions. Listening to it all and working to manage the coastal area is Andrew Staniland, MidCoast Council’s project manager, planning and natural systems.

The Manning River Times recently put some key questions to Andrew and below is the Q&A that addresses some of the issues.

Sand movements are caused by a combination of coastal processes like tidal flow and wave action, with sand in this area naturally moving north from Wallabi Point. The mouth of the inlet acts like a vacuum, particularly in dry weather when the river is not actively flowing out to sea. In nature, the build-up would be flushed out with the next significant rain event.

This idea has previously been considered as valid in addressing the erosion at Old Bar, but to ensure it aligns with today’s requirements, cost and environmental considerations will be reviewed. The issue is we can’t stop the natural processes from shifting the sand north and back to Farquhar again so while it will provide a temporary buffer for Old Bar, the complex nature of this area of coastline means we also need to consider the effect on Manning Point.

Without an active outflow from the river, we’d have to sit a dredge there permanently to keep the entrance open. It’s not effective in fighting the coastal processes at play, but is likely to play a part in re-opening once the river flow becomes sufficient. We maintain a flood notch at Farquhar, which means we can mechanically assist the flood waters escape to the ocean if and when necessary. We can also activate the opening if water quality becomes an issue. Without tidal flow at the moment, any rain we receive is contributing fresh water to the current salt water system, which can impact on conditions for local oyster farmers. Routine water quality monitoring will highlight if or when this is required.

Navigational dredging is something we undertake from time to time, and this applies to the Farquhar area. Again, we’re monitoring the channels constantly and will dredge Scotts Creek to the south channel and from Scotts Creek to the Farquhar camp ground when it becomes necessary.

We’ve seen an influx of wildlife coming into the area – migratory birds, birds of prey, and dolphins – enjoying the sanctuary and food offered through the changed coastline. Besides that, sand is now moving further north, making its way up to Manning Point beach. Only time will tell if this has an impact there, but it may provide some naturally positive relief in another challenging coastal area.