www.watoday.com.au/business/companies/invisible-investor-backs-padburys-6b-oakajee-revival-20140411-36h8u.html

Years ago Geraldton Windsurfing club opposed it and windsurfers in general protested a lot.
As a result the project undertook to build an artificial reef to replace SpotX (which would be destroyed by this port).

I bet that has all been forgotten now.

Then last time it stalled, about 3yrs ago, it was rumoured that they had discovered a lot more limestone in the area that needs to be dredged, making the construction much more difficult than anticipated.
Given that fact, I have always said why don't they just build it a few north or Coro's? Or a bit further south than the existing place? This can't be the only bit of coastline where a ship can get in (with some dredging) and a road can be put thru.

We need WAKSA, AKSA and WWA onto this big time in the media.

Money money money progress money money money progress money money money progress... Where's this paradigm shift I've been hearing about?

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you think a few kiters or poleys are going to change such a big spin off for major powerbrokers, you are tripping, these decision makers are scum and only concerened about own financial gain, take a look at most politicians financial portfolio, or family portfolio , its a natural resource why not wait a while

99 percent of you have a job because of some historical development.

puppetonastring said..

Whats wrong with an upgrade of Port Gero???
Seriously - Id like to know the answer to this one.
Yes it should be protested by all parties but we need to know the options

I'm pretty sure Gero port is pretty close to capacity, iron ore, minerals sands, grain, lead/nickel/copper/zinc concentrates, fuel, talc etc etc and it can't handle anything like a Cape class vessel which is the norm for the Pilbara. It's also smack bang in the middle of the CBD so everything has to be stored in sheds to keep the dust down and there isn't room to expand the sheds to the capacity they need. The port basin and channel isn't deep enough either. Phase 1 of Oakajee is for around 4 times the current iron ore capacity of Gero port, phase 2 brings it up to 7 times Gero capacity. The current rail line is narrow gauge and doesn't have the efficiencies of the standard gauge proposed for Oakajee.

That about cover it Puppet?

I just started looking at the GPA and Oakajee websites, someone has spent a lot of money deciding Oakajee is the spot, if they get the funding I don't think a bunch of kiters and poleys will stop it.

Blah blah blah more nonsense to give the real estate agents the horn,
If it does happen nothing anybody can do, give me spot Y over X any day. Would however ruin the coastline as they have no idea of how to manage costal sand movement as it is might make downwinders more interesting

Lose a kiting spot oh well....might make up some of the money i lost investing in gero property!

eppo said..

I wonder if padbury has plans to float to the public...Wonder how these shares would fair?

@Chris6791 -- You are pretty much spot on with your facts. And @wishy, you as well. Padbury are a tiny company by comparison to folks like SinoSteel (Chinese), OzMinerals(Japanese company, BTW) and Padbury have a reputation as stirrers and cowboys. They are already a public company (PDY:AX)

au.finance.yahoo.com/news/padbury-mining-limited-asx-pdy-225600782.html

au.finance.yahoo.com/chart/PDY.AX?ltr=1;range=1m

Their share price has climbed from $0.006 (that's right 6/10 of one cent!) to $0.035 per share since early February (of course there's been no insider trading involved)

The folks at G-Spot (kiting and windsurfing shop in Geraldton) have previously been involved with negotiations with the last proponents of Oakajee (OPR -- Oakajee Port and Rail) proposing that in return for the watersports community not becoming involved in civil or other action against the port development that they provide funding to recreate a kiting and windsurfing area south of the port development that replicates what will be destroyed at Coronation.

I don't know to what extent these negotiations progressed before the last iteration of Oakajee was cancelled.

There is certainly latitude for the construction of an artificial reef to the south of the port location where this could be done but would involve millions of $$s in capital works as well as more potential damage to the marine ecosystem (the entire area of which is a rock lobster breeding ground).

I'll make contact with Kim at G-Spot to find out what he knows.

Chris6791 said..

^ the Website shows the recreation area at Corros remaining and a new one planned for the south side of the port. This might be the one you are referring to?

I have to ask, has anyone actually looked at what impact it will have on kiting/windsurfing? I can't comment on Spot X as I don't know exactly where it is but the proposed southern breakwater indicated on the plans doesn't look to stick out far enough to impede a swell direct from the south as it hits Corros and that's not counting the fact that the swell will wrap around the breakwater anyway. Likewise the wind, the tip of the breakwater might just affect a southerly, but there is plenty of ocean for a Seabreeze to smooth out before it hits Corros, no different to the current port affecting the wind before St George's.

I'm not pro port or otherwise but the argument that Corros will no longer be sailable on a Southerly wind/swell is easily negated by looking at the drawings.

Edit: if you go here http://www.opandr.com/environment/port_marine_ep_act.phtml you will find their Recreation, Fishing and Access Management Plan.

Their research says it won't affect the swell hitting Corros and South Corros.

The port will be built on top of Spot-X, so, it's a given that it'll be destroyed. If you look at the engineering drawings and mock-ups, it's pretty clear that the SSW to SSE sea breezes will be blocked by the infrastructure to the south. Yes, swell will still get in from the SW and W but it will fundamentally impact the character of the region and the wind at Coros. These breakwalls are more than 1km long on each leg.




www.opandr.com/images/opandr---iekoh.pdf

(NOTE THIS COMES FROM OPR -- THE PREVIOUS CONSORTIUM OF PROPONENTS OF OAKAJEE--NOW DEFUNCT -- THE NEW PROPONENTS WILL HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THESE UNDERTAKINGS)

2.4 Recreational activities
2.4.1 Windsurfing and Surfing
Better swell at the north of Oakajee results in surfing and windsurfing predominating. Surfing occurs at South Coronation,
which is particularly good for long-board surfing as a consequence of the local swell and reef conditions. Surfing is also
popular north of Oakabella Creek and at Woolawar Gully mouth. Popular fishing locations along this section are at
Coronation Beach and the mouths of Oakabella Creek and Woolawar Gully (Koltasz Smith, 2007) (Figure 2-1).
The location is also very popular with wind and kite surfers particularly in the Coronation Beach area, which is supported
by camping grounds, ablution and general refuse facilities, beach shelters, compacted roads suitable for two wheel drive
vehicles and caravans. The Coronation Beach area is particularly popular for wind and kite surfing because of its small
sheltered bay immediately adjacent to wave riding/jumping areas. Spot 'X' at the Oakajee River mouth is also considered
a windsurfing location of local significance as a consequence of its wave conditions.
Although not contained within the scope of this RFAMP, CC?s 21 and 22 of MS469 requires the completion of a detailed
assessment on the impact of port structures on wave breaks and the significance of the Oakajee area to windsurfing. In
July 1997 Tourism Co-ordinates prepared a report titled Windsurfing Study – Oakajee, which provides an assessment of
the significance of the windsurfing industry in Geraldton and the potential impacts on this sport from the development of
the port. To support this windsurfing study, JFA Consultants Pty Ltd developed the Wave Sheltering Effects at Oakajee:
Position Paper (September 2010). Both the Windsurfing Study – Oakajee (1997) and the Wave Sheltering Effects at
Oakajee: Position Paper (2010) will be provided to the OEPA separately. As discussed in Section 1.5, consultation with stakeholders that have e interests in windsurfing and fishing has commenced and will continue throughout the construction phase of the Proposal.

I would be worried about the interruption to sand movement. How many excellent breaks have been affected by man made structure into the ocean.

I live 3 minutes from one right now.

They need to dig up and send tons of sand every year over the cut to stop the rest of the coastline to the north becoming a rocky wasteland.

Agreed Austin... I think both the benefits, and impacts are being quite exaggerated. Plenty of jobs in construction, but in operation, maybe 150 port jobs, and 150 rail jobs. All the heavy design and management work will be done in Perth.

But what do you guys think of that port design? Wide open to the NW where we get our strongest winter winds. I reckon they are going to lose quite a few winter days to wind, swell etc. Maybe the cost of the lost days is less than the cost of a north breakwater construction, but it's a very one sided port.

Dave

eppo said..
I would be worried about the interruption to sand movement. How many excellent breaks have been affected by man made structure into the ocean.

I live 3 minutes from one right now.

They need to dig up and send tons of sand every year over the cut to stop the rest of the coastline to the north becoming a rocky wasteland.

Before the causeway was built in dampier in the 70's dampier's harbour had long beautiful sandy beaches. It now has a brown tinge with lots of rocks showing. The blocking of the water flow caused a venturi kind of effect and sucked the sand away....

EB said..
He He, this one sucks them in every time. Purely to make a profit at the stock exchange.

Gotta agree, smells like typical WA style market manipulation.

Don't panic gang there will be no Port Oakagee, well not until the Chinese are running the country, about 25 years time

I remember those huge hideous reef crunches they brought in years ago,,fn disgusting,,,,if they do go ahead with it they will distort and distroy the whole bay,,,i guess now that you kite boyz are here to stay you could try and get that Rich Branson on board